Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light
by ShadowsOfMyFormerSelf
Summary: Carla was part of a very secret and ancient organisation, when she learns the requirements of the elders of the cult, she chooses to leave. However, this has dire consequences, and Carla is forced to run and fight desperately for her life. But when she arrives in Bon Temps, still on the run, her secrets are discovered by Sookie and their fates are bound together. R&R please!
1. The Prologue

**Welcome to my new fic, this is only a prologue, so please feel free to leave me any feedback you wish, if you want to know more, and what me to continue, please do tell me! Thanks a bunch!**

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**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

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Chapter one - The Prologue

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The night was creeping slowly towards the evening sky, heralded by the clawing darkness reaching up from the horizon and pulling imaginary ropes attached to the dying sun, slowly pulling it down towards the edge, into the abyss. The sky was dark and angry, covering the streaks and tinges of orange, red, yellow and purple that would usually be visible as sun set, the clouds seemed angered by their losing battle with the night, their grip on the sun slowly failing, as it inched closer and closer. The clouds threatened to open and let forth their wrath, but like a undisciplined child, the darkness continued to strain and pull, tempting fate.

Carla couldn't remove her eyes from the sky, its bleak nature spoke volumes, she almost felt as if she were in the same position, looking in a mirror to see the turmoil within herself. She shifted her shoulders, re-positioning the dead weight of her few essentials to a more comfortable position on her back. Letting a sigh escape her lips, she glanced behind her, for the last time, while she still stood within the barrier, before beginning her decent down the opposite side of the hill, towards the outside world, and towards freedom.

Within her few steps the the will of the clouds suddenly cracked, and they unleashed their fury in roaring thunder and beating rain, almost drenching her instantly with the amount and force of the downpour. Suddenly Carla heard hurried foot steps behind her, running towards her position.

"LA!" Carla froze at the voice, wondering whether to remain here or to bolt.

"LARA!" came the voice again, this time closer, and more urgent, she knew he was only just a few steps away from seeing over the peek of the hill, she still had a few seconds to run, to hide.

"LARA! WAIT!" Clive threw himself over the peek, and began to slide down the sodden ground of the other side, stopping a few steps from Carla, panting heavily.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING LARA?!" He had to yell over the sound of the pounding rain. "COME BACK WITH ME, IF THE ELDERS FIND YOU HAVE GONE MISSING, STRAIGHT AFTER THE CEREMONY, YOU KNOW THEY WILL COME LOOKING FOR YOU!"

Carla stood completely still, her head bowed against the strong winds and his accusing eyes. She remained silent, though she had lots to say, she knew none of it would make him realize how she felt.

"COME WITH ME LA, LET'S GET BACK TO THE TOWN, AND GET BACK TO THE HOUSE, NO-ONE WOULD HAVE TRIED TO VISIT IN THIS WEATHER, AND SO CLOSE TO LOCK DOWN, PLEASE, COME BACK WITH ME, NO-ONE WILL EVER KNOW THAT YOU TRIED TO LEAVE!" Clive was slowly sinking into the mud, as the ground became more and more water logged by the second.

Carla simply shook her head, taking an unsteady step back.

"YOU GO BACK, I HAVE TO DO THIS, THERE IS NO CHANGING MY MIND!" The deluge didn't let up for a moment, lightening shot across the sky, as the sun finally disappeared below the horizon, the first shots being fired in the war between light and dark.

"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING!"

"GOODBYE, CLIVE!" Carla turned away from him.

"LALA, PLEASE, DON'T LEAVE!" Clive reached out, about to catch her shoulder. Carla turned her head to the side, so he could hear her.

"IF YOU LOVE ME, YOU'LL LET ME GO, AND TELL NO-ONE WHERE I HAVE GONE!" Clive stood absolutely still, his hand hovering in the air, rain drops landed explosively on his arm, before tracing a hasty path around the hairs, to the bottom, before dripping off onto the ground.

Carla's soft amber hair was sodden and clinging to her face and neck, she began to walk away from him, not looking back, Clive stood completely still, as if paralyzed by her words.

A rush of wind blew past her, as if removing all the air from her body, making her limbs weak and her head spin, informing her she was leaving the barrier, she took a deep breath of air, this was pure air, the air of the free, unshackled people.

Taking a few moments to breath in the fresh breeze, as the the energy came back into her limbs, and her head cleared, she took her first look at the outside world, the world she had been told was a desolate, unending wasteland turned out to be no different than her own, filled with life and growth, and without the heavy burdens and closed doors of her home, her prison.

Realizing that the heavens were still very much open, she turned to the closest cover, a patch of high trees with an expansive canopy to selter her, she made for them, making sure to hurry along, knowing that Clive may well have gone back to the elders, in which case she would have to keep moving throughout the night, and keep her ears alert for any sound that might indicate a follower.

It would be a long night, a night in which she may lose her life, but it was all worth it, to escape that place.

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**Several years later**

Carla sat up against one of her kitchen cabinets, half alive, desperately clutching a wad of tea towels to her side, her mind racing and her heart pumping erratically.

As the first rays of morning began to stream through her windows, she studied her options like the fine print of a contract written in blood. The light coming in through the windows illuminated the dust particles that hovered lazily in the air, looking for a place to reside, but not being able to actually settle there, as small gusts of air kept them suspended perfectly.

The light also betrayed the large pool of blood slowly tracing a path along the kitchen floor, dripping steadily from the saturated tea towels, Carla's chest heaved, taking in painfully heavy breaths.

Reaching one hand up onto the kitchen counter, Carla's hand closed around another clean tea towel, balling it up and quickly swapping it for the one against her side, revealing the deep wound in her side, but only for a second.

Swapping her bloodied hand for her clean one, she reached up again for the counter, closing her hand around the edge, shifting her legs to turn herself over, readying herself for the pain to escalate.

Carla sucked in a deep breath, and pushed herself up, forcing her legs to work, letting out a pained groan that would have been louder if she had not bitten down on her tongue, suddenly in the morning sunlight, she felt so much better, the light bathed her skin and she began to softly shine, tearing the tea towel away from her side so the sun could reach there too, causing the skin to pull together, scab over, and then completely heal into normal flesh.

Letting out a slow breath, Carla smiled dropping the towels to the kitchen floor and grabbed her keys, heading for the back door.

When she got outside she quickly realized that her spare car was looking in very bad shape, to the say the least, all windows broken including the windscreen and her types slashed, she sighed, glancing around for ideas.

Her eyes were drawn to her neighbors car, which still sat immobile in their driveway, Carla scolded herself internally, but headed for the short fence, stepping over it and reaching for the handle, of course, locked.

Walking up the driveway and out onto the street, Carla glanced both ways, warily checking if the car vandal was still around, desperately hoping that he had left after sun up, surely knowing that he had no chance of disposing of her during the day.

Walking down the street she decided her best chance was to hitchhike, either with or without the drivers consent.

Running through a few blocks of houses, before finally coming to the side of a motor way, she wandered along the road, knowing that this was the road going south from her current area of residence, Sioux Falls, out of South Dakota.

After about three hours of ceaseless walking, her hand held out beside her indicating that she needed a ride, she heard a heavy lorry pulling into a lay by as she walked past, being one of the few cars on the road, she turned around and inspected the face of the man sitting behind the wheel, he was quite skinny, but not underweight, from what she could see he had a large bushy mustache and slicked back greasy hair, with two equally bushy eyebrows. As he pulled the lorry to a stop beside her, he indicated with his hand that she should open the down and get in, she complied.

"Well hello there, where you headed?" the man asked, with a smile that bent up the corners of his mustache.

"Where's the end of the line?" Carla asked, closing the door behind her as she sat herself down in the seat next to the man, not sitting next to him she realized that he had a medium sized bulge of a belly sticking out under his T-shirt, showing that he was not completely skinny.

"End of the line's New Orleans, Louisiana, goin' through Omaha, Kansas city, Little Rock, Shreveport before then. You're welcome for the whole journey if you can stand my company for that long" His smile never faltered, and Carla gave her own, half-hearted smile, doing her best to make it seem genuine.

"Thank you very much for your kindness" Carla strapped herself in, putting her elbow up on the door handle, and resting her head on her palm.

"Oh you're more than welcome, does get awful lonely on these long hauls" The man turned back to the road, steering his way out of the lay by and back into the traffic.

"What's your name?" The man asked, his eyes focused on the road, but his mind focused on conversation. "I'm Pete"

"Penelope" Carla smiled, hoping that three states away would be far enough, though in the back of her mind she knew otherwise.

"You running from something the Penelope? Or is it just a surprise un-booked holiday?" Carla could tell Pete meant it as a joke, but was surprised by how obvious her situation appeared.

"You could say it was something like that" Carla began, her eyes fixed on the road, her mind flashing back.

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**As said previously, review, etc, tell me what you think! **

**-Shad out! ^^**


	2. Another New Life

**Welcome back! Good to see you! Hope you enjoy this chapter! And feel free to review, follow, favorite and all that jazz, really helps me out, and shows me you want more! Many thanks and kind regards, Shad. ;)**

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**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

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Chapter two - Another New Life

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The light crept through a convenient crack in the brown curtains, the ones with the odd 70's look to them with different sized circles with zig-zag patterns within them. The light of the morning sun shone confidently into the room, knocking the lingering darkness out of the way in its adventure towards a small exposed arm, sticking out from under and equally old looking blanket, with the same old fashioned pattern embroidered onto it, spread across a dilapidated couch.

Around the room were the same out dated patterns and colors on the wall paper, carpet and arm chair, which had matching cushions, three of which we piled up on the arm chair itself, while the fourth was nestled under the head of a sleeping body, that was also draped in the large blanket. The body didn't stir, even though it was already late into the afternoon.

Without any sort of warning shot or shout, the door flung open, colliding with the wall dangerously fast, causing the door handle to connect with the small hole in the wall where the door had been opened several times this way, and the door handle had caused the wall to slowly chip away.

"Wakey! Wakey!" shouted an obviously over active and happy voice, the woman ran around the sofa and stopped in front of the curtains, grabbing hold of them and yanking them apart, allowing the sun to fully stream into the room, causing the body underneath the blanket to curl up into a tight ball and yank the covers up over it's head.

"Hey! Paula! Don't be such a couch potato!" The girl shook the ball shaped body on the cough by pushing on her back with her hands, Paula did not stir, she simply laid there and let out a deep, unsatisfied groan.

"You have work in 3 hours an you still need to sort out your mail" The woman huffed, placing two knuckles underneath her chin as if in deep thought, a small frown sliding onto her face, looking as if she was about to give up and leave the body there.

"Fine" the shape named Paula moaned out, reluctantly peeling back the blankets as if peeling back a plaster from a painful wound.

"Cool!" the woman chirped, racing back out of the room just as suddenly as she had entered, and at the same energetic speed.

Paula, was in fact Carla, living under a new alias, in another new life. Swinging her legs around and sitting up straight, Carla stretched her arms up high, removing all the tension from her stiff muscles, before moving on to her legs, by standing up and walking around the sofa, towards the still wide open door through which her disturber had come.

A soft humming sound came from the kitchen, which was adjoined to a small dining room, opposite the kitchen door was the wash room and bathroom, and at the end of the corridor was the single bedroom of the house, occupied by Carla's room mate, Sammy.

"Your clothes are in the wash room! On the line! They should be dry by now!" Sammy called from the kitchen, where she was preparing breakfast for Carla and a snack for herself.

Carla made her way into the wash room, glancing up at the clothes line above her, pulling down her uniform, deciding to get ready for work before eating.

Walking through the room to the bath room door, Carla locked herself inside, taking a moment to look at herself in the mirror, while leaning heavily on the sink. Her eyes had huge bags underneath them and she had a positively terrible case of bed hair, looking into her own eyes that stared so determinedly back at her, she wondered how long she would have to keep restarting her life, and removing herself from her previous one.

Stripping her clothes off down to her flesh, Carla released her hair from its tight bun, her amber hair spilled out in a curly mess of sweet liquid, flowing down her back and hanging just at the end of her rib cage. Stepping into the shower she let the warm water hit her for about ten minutes before she finally swiftly wash herself off and lathered her hair, finishing up in record time.

After towel drying her hair and pulling it back into another tight bun, and pulling on her uniform, shorts, T-shirt, apron and note book, with small flat soled shoes, glancing up at herself in the mirror, Carla sighed before unlocking the bathroom door and heading out to the kitchen, where food was already laid out on the table along with place mats, cutlery, and Sammy sitting up in front of her buttered toast. As Carla sat down, she glanced up at Sammy, giving her a small smile.

"Thank you, Sammy" She said, looking down at her scrambled eggs on toast with a glass of lemonade, "That's really nice of you, it looks delicious" Sammy smiled, and they both began to tuck into their meals.

"Well it's good to know i am good for something" Sammy said, through a mouthful of toast, before stuffing some more in on top of that. Sammy was a lovely girl, and she would have gone far in the catering industry, if she didn't happen to make the mistake of getting in with the wrong crowd. She was in her late twenties now, a V-addict and waitress at a posh french restaurant just outside Bon Temps, she needed help to pay for the rent on her single bedroom bungalow and Carla needed a place to live, so this is how the two met, through an add in the local paper.

They had been living together now for five months and Carla had just been given her first job, of which this was her first day, or night, as it was the night shift, of late afternoon shift, at a bar and grill which was quite famous in Bon Temps.

Sammy was tall, skinny, and blonde, with a bob hair style and striking pale blue eyes, her eyes were heavily accented by make up as well as her lips, and she had many bangles around her wrists, each of which told a different story from a different moment in the woman's life. Her wardrobe usually consisted of shorts skirts that showed off her skinny long legs, and tight tank tops which enhanced her figure and arm length. Her hands were adorned with three rings each, something about things not being symmetrical the girl hated, and her nails were long, uncut, and panted in neon pink.

Carla, however, was of a medium height and wider hips, her legs were skinny and long, while her torso was slightly shorter, she had long arms with cracked and un-kept nails, no make up was worn on her face or anywhere for that matter, exposing her real skin. Her hair was naturally feathered with the sweeping fringe. She was not particularly muscular and fit, but she had enough strength to carry out daily tasks.

After finishing up her delicious break fast, she took both of the plats and cutlery, and washed them up in the old porcelain sink, followed by drying them up and putting them back in the dish rack, ready for when she and Sammy got home.

Finishing this job, Carla lent on the kitchen counter, the dish towel still in her pale hands that were balled into tight fists, she let out a strained sigh, glancing at the clock, quarter to five, time to get in the car and go, Carla decided, pushing her nervous thoughts about this new job to the back of her mind for later. She walked to the front door, pulling her coat, bag and keys from the precisely placed hooks in the old wall, she called back to Sammy, who ran out into the hall from her bedroom, the front door was right next to the bedroom, so it didn't take long, she thew her arms around Carla.

"Have a great first day Paw!" Carla smiled at this new nickname Sammy had thought up for her, hugging her back, giving her a reassuring pat in the process.

"Just, don't go to those hill-billys for V again after work, please Sam, it's going to get yourself killed if you continue this way" Carla pushed out, trying to maintain a determined expression.

"I know, Paula, I'm not a child anymore, and you're not my mother, i can look after myself, besides i have no money, and i don't get paid until Friday, and that money is strictly for rent" Sammy smiled, a smile that was so convincing, but also so vulnerable.

"Some people need to be mothered, whether they're children or not, Sam" Carla gave a sad smile, going out the door and locking it behind her before Sam could reply, getting in her car and driving off towards her new work place, her Beethoven CD kicking in with its classical chimes.

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Upon arriving at Merlotte's bar and grill, Carla entered in the back door and put her belongings on her designated shelf, before heading out of the owners room to find her spot behind the bar, which was her job, to serve drinks and chat to towns folk, she plastered her fake business smile on, and proceeded to plop herself behind the bar, wiping down the counters ready for the dinner time rush of customers.

A medium height blonde woman with her hair pulled back into a high pony tail, and a red head at about the same height with an equally high pony tail were sat at the counter leading through to the kitchen, where a black man with a bandanna on his head lent heavily on the counter. They were all looked at her as she looked away, she could feel their eyes boring into her back, making her want to scratch her neck until it bled, and dig her nails into the hard wood of the bar, just to expel her heavy feeling of awkwardness and the unmistakable feeling of being watched and judged.

She closed her eyes lightly, ready to open them immediately if she was addressed or approached, concentrating on the soothing sound of wind inside her head, cooling off her nerves and anxiousness.

"Hi!" Carla flicked her eyes open, meeting with the eyes of the blonde in front of her, "I heard you were the new bar tender! Sam's been saying you're very good!" Carla smiled, half fake and half genuine, happy that the woman was friendly, but also slightly annoyed by her obnoxiously perky voice, but Carla gave her the benefit of the doubt and chose to speak with her. The red head stood next to the blonde, waiting for Carla's reply.

"I'm quite good, i don't like too blow my own horn as such" the blonde smiled, and glanced at the red head, and then back to Carla.

"Well, make me a Gin and tonic!" Sookie asked, as if testing her cocktail making skills.

Carla shrugged and collected together the ingredients from the shelves at the back of the bar, putting them in a small glass as not to use too much of the alcohol, putting the gin and tonic water into the glass and stirring well, before shoving a lime carelessly on the side of the glass and handing it to the blonde.

She looked at the drink, and then to Carla, before taking a sip. A smile spread across her face, and equally on Carla's.

"Wow, that is very good" The blonde said, and the redhead snatched the glass, also taking a sip.

"You know what, that is pretty damn good, come on, make another" The red head said in a southern drawl.

"Well what do you want?" Carla shrugged as she asked, looking at the red head.

"A dry martini" the red head glanced at the blonde with a wide grin, as Carla stepped back and swiveled around, pulling down a mixing glass and throwing some ice cubes in, chucking in some gin, dry vermouth and stirring the ingredients for about 30 seconds before pouring it into a chilled cocktail glass and skewering some olives and laying them in the glace for garnish. She handed the glass to the red head, placing the mixing glass in the sink ready to be washed up.

The re head accepted the drink and took the first sip, raising her eye brows, and giving a satisfactory nod, savoring the taste by holding the beverage in her mouth for a few seconds.

"Amazing!" the red head said, as the drink was refused by the blonde.

"I better not, i'm one of the worst for holding alcohol" she giggled. "Well, where does one learn to mix drinks like that?"

"Well, my mother was a bartender, and my father a drunk, it sort of runs in the family" Carla gave a small smile, the two said nothing, though the truth was simply that Carla had a supernaturally accelerated learning process. But she knew her false story would help to strengthen her facade life.

"But i get the feeling i won't be mixing many drinks in this town, more just lots and lots of pints" Carla smiled, and the two chuckled a little, breaking the silence.

"My name's Paula by the way" Carla said, taking the two glasses from the side and emptying them in the sink washing them up quickly and skillfully.

"Arlene" the red head said, offering Carla her hand, which she shook, not seeing any rings, she assumed the woman was single.

"And I'm Sookie, Sookie Stackhouse" Sookie simple smiled, not offering Carla her hand, so she finished washing up, and started the dry the glasses.

"Are you new around?" Sookie continued.

"No, i moved in from outside the country, wanted to get as far away as possible from the folks, you know, i figured half way across the world would be good enough, i'm originally from Australia" Carla ceaselessly said, spinning yet another lie.

"Oh, and no accent?" Arlene asked, a questioning smile on her face, her head slightly cocked to the side.

"Unfortunately not, my English teacher was a tough old bat that made sure we pronounced everything correctly, so no accents allowed" Carla smiled, and then noticed Sookie's hardening look of concentration.

As soon as she noticed this, a screeching headache attacked her head, her body heaved and her stomach churned, she felt as if she was going to puke her guts up, leaning over the sink she was stood in front of, she wretched uncontrollably, within seconds Arlene was at her shoulder, looping her arm around hers, all of the color and heat had drained from Carla's face, and her dinner came up into the sink in a lumpy mess.

"Oh my Jesus!" Arlene's alarmed voice came from Carla's side, as quickly as the feeling had come over her it completely disappeared, and Carla felt quite perky.

Carla let out a groan, and then Sookie was at her side, looking very very concerned, more than Arlene, who still looked concerned, though Sookie had an obvious look of guilt about her.

"Are you okay!?" Arlene asked, looking at the still slightly pale face of Carla.

"I feel absolutely fine" Carla stood up straight, and Arlene retrieved her hand, and glanced at Sookie, and then back to Carla, seeing the color flow back into her face.

"Are you sure? You seemed like you were no where near alright just then" Arlene looked unsure, and Sookie just kept that same stupid guilty face on.

"Honestly, i don't know what it was, but i am sure i am fine now" Arlene glanced at Sookie again, and then shrugged.

"If you're sure, but if you really start feeling bad, we can get someone else in to cover the bar, we had another waitress, part time, but she can also double as a bartender" Arlene explained.

"No, honestly, i am fine, if it happens again, i will go home" Arlene sighed, as if defeated, but she nodded in agreement.

"Alright then"

Just as she finished, Sam Merlotte, the owner of the bar and grill, wandered around the corner, laying his eyes on the three women.

"You three ready, the first of them are coming in now, chop chop" Sam smiled at the three, and Sookie nodded, running to meet the first few people coming in through the door.

Arlene gave Carla a smile, and slowly followed after Sookie.

The night went pretty slowly, with plenty of pints, and hardly anything more exotic, apart from the odd whiskey shot.

When the business quietened down, and the last few customers were finishing their meals, Arlene and Sookie came over to watch the news, that was playing on the TV that hung from the ceiling about the bar.

The headline scrolled continuously under the male news reader, who was conducting a rather heated interview between some religious fanatic who was anti-vampire by the name of Reverend Theodore Newlin and a vampire rights representative called Nan Flanagan.

The reverend was very determined to convince viewers that there should be an anti-vampire agenda put in place in the US, while Nan Flanagan was arguing for a pro vampire agenda, giving vampires the same human rights as humans, a supposed amendment to current legislation.

Arlene, Sookie, Carla, Sam and even the cook, who introduced himself to Carla as Lafayette, were all watching the television.

"You ever had any vampires in here?" Carla asked, wiping down the bar again, and washing up the last of the cups.

"No, not a single one" Sookie said, her eyes still fixed on the television.

"Though Sam did buy some Tru blood, should the occasion arise" she continued.

"It spoiled before we got anyone in though" Sam admitted.

"That's a shame"

"I think they must be very interesting to meet" Sookie said, focusing on the television.

"Who?" Arlene questioned.

"Vampires, i mean, imagine how many things some of them must have seen, wars, and so much history"

"Well, you'd certainly never get bored would you, i suppose that may be the only good thing" Everyone looked at her then, as she moved on to wiping up the pint glasses in the sink.

"Have you met a vampire Paula?" Sookie asked, now interested.

"A few" She replied simply, shrugging.

"What were they like?" Carla thought hard about this, knowing that 'they wanted to kill me' would be a very bad answer.

"Quite interesting, they have a different view on life than us, for them, they'll be around forever if they're not killed, but with us, we live every day like its our last, and death is right around the corner, their past means more to them, because it can be so vast and unending, their memories and experiences shape who they are, much like us, but they are much more mature than us, specially the longer they have been alive, they learn to get things right, where it may take a human its whole life time to get something right"

Their eyes widened at her in depth explanation, Sam huffed.

"Sounds like you know an awful lot about vampires"

"Did you have one as a partner or something, its seems like that sort of personal information would come from a vampire themselves" Arlene questioned.

"No, I've never been with anyone" Carla confessed, packing away the last of the dry pint glasses.

"Just like Sook then, this bitch never gets any action, and i know plenty who would take some of that sweet cream, eh girl?" Lafayette added, showing a cheeky smile, before wandering back towards the kitchen to clean up.

"Hey!" Replied Sookie, "Ever thought i may have no found the right guy yet?" Carla smiled at the woman.

"I don't think i should be getting into relationships when i still live my gran anyway, i think she's all too old fashioned for that" Sookie admitted, as if she was trying to inform someone in the group that she definitely wasn't interested, as she glanced around the whole group, her eyes lingering on Sam.

"Quite, i live with a room mate, as i am much in the same boat" Carla added.

"Is she new to the area too?" Arlene asked, as same now had his eyes locked on Sookie, who was staring up at the television again.

"No, she's the Browers kid, the last one left, they all died in a house fire a couple years back, had a bad effect on the poor girl" Carla glanced down at the tea towel in her hands, thinking of Sammy.

"She has drug trouble" Carla looked up again, realizing she had said it out loud, and mentally scolding herself. "But don't tell her i told you that, she finds it quite personal, she cried into my shoulder for a whole afternoon after i found her"

"Poor girl" Arlene frowned.

"Quite" Carla put the tea towel down, stretching her arms in and letting out a squeaky yawn.

After the last patron left, Carla helped the two waitresses clean up the tables ready for the next day, and then emptied the bins into the large one out the back, before getting in her car to leave for home at lock up.

* * *

As she pulled her car up into the driveway, next to Sammy's, getting out and locking it up, she headed in the front door, hanging her bag, coat and keys up where they were earlier in the evening. She called to Sammy, but got no reply, heading into her bedroom first, and then through the rest of the rooms, taking the lounge last.

As she entered the lounge, she saw Sammy's small form on the couch, her legs sprawled out, giving her a nudge, she didn't respond.

Walking around the couch after turning the main light on, Carla noticed the small vial held in her hand, that still had a small amount of red residue inside, she snatched it out of her hand, sniffing the opening. Vampire blood.

Carla let out a brief low growl, crouching down in front of her friend, shaking her limp body, she was completely out of it. Standing up Carla began to pace, before becoming enraged and throwing the vial against the wall, causing a small splat of blood on the wall paper and a hail of tiny shards of glass littered the carpet.

Carla lent down and picked up Sammy, she was so skinny it was an easy task, and Carla quickly carried her down the corridor, laying Sammy down on the bed, propping her head up on the pillows. Carla sighed, thoughts swirled around inside her head, looking down at the woman laying there on the bed, completely lifeless, this was the exact effect V had on Sammy, she passed out, and then had 'trips' in her sleep, anything to get away from reality, she would say.

Carla forced herself to sit down in the wicker chair next to the bed, Sammy's work clothes were thrown onto it carelessly, showing that she had changed her mind about going to work tonight.

Carla buried her face in her hands, knowing she would have to wait until morning to speak to Sammy, she got back up and headed down the corridor again, back to the lounge, where she laid down with her single cushion and large blanket ready to sleep, even though she knew she would not be able to. She laid there, for what felt like hours, but was really only a few minutes.

Staring at the sofa, she forced her eyes closed, trying desperately not to think about the implications of the V Sammy had taken, where she had gotten it? How or what she had paid for it? Who had she gotten it from? How much had she taken?

Carla sighed, she was ready for a long and boring night of little to no sleep.

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**Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoyed with one! Please feel free to review and tell me what you think, if you like the idea and want me to continue with it! Thanks again! See you next time i hope! Shad out. :)**


	3. Murder

**Hello again! Thank you for joining me! It's great to have you back, and good to know that people are interested in my story, i know it is a slow start, but i will soon get into the action, i just need to get the story of Sammy out of the way, believe me, she is simply a plot helper, and will help to hold some characters together in later chapters, as well as giving some characters some common ground. You will have to wait and see for the details! I hope you enjoy this one as much as i enjoyed thinking of it and writing about it!**

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**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

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Chapter three - Murder

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That morning, Carla sprung up at 4:00 exactly, as she could no longer simply lay on the sofa and pretend she was getting some sort of rest, when she simply wasn't.

Walking down the corridor in a determined fashion she swung the door to Sammy's bedroom open, causing it to noisily slam into wall, laying her eyes on the woman who was now resting in a different position in the bed, Carla knew that this meant she was awake.

"Sammy!" Carla shouted in a determined voice.

A muffled groan came from the woman, whose face was covered by the corner of a pillow she had burrowed her face into.

Carla walked around the side of the bed and yanked the covers off the woman, with a sudden and violent pull, which pulled Sammy onto her back, facing towards Carla.

"Hey! Paula, what the hell?" Dark rings had formed around Sammy's eyes, and she looked even more pale than usual, you could tell something was terribly wrong, and the V was slowly being expelled from her system.

"I should ask you the same question, what the hell happened to you last night?!" But Carla already knew the answer.

"Nothing, i just felt unwell when i got into work, so i came home" Obviously she had forgotten that the vial was left in her palm.

"Don't you fucking spin that bullshit to me, you're on the juice again, i saw the vial!"

Sammy looked down, like a child who had been found with a bag of stolen sweets.

"Who was it from this time?! Hmm!? Who's selling you it?!" Sammy said nothing. Carla lent down and grabbed her arms, making the woman look up at her.

"WHO IS IT, SAMMY?! TELL ME!" Sammy had tears welling up in her eyes, but Carla could not let it effect her, all of this was for Sammy's own good, she didn't like to upset the woman, but she had to, to have a chance of saving her.

"I don't know! Please!" Sammy began to sob.

"Listen, please, don't get overly emotional, i'm trying to help you, you know that V is expensive and we don't have the money to throw at that stuff, we barely have enough to pay for this house together, let alone the food and the bills as well, we barely scrape past and that's the two of us!"

"I'm sorry okay! I just can't stop myself!" Sammy sniffed, pulling the snot that was dangling from her nose back up inside, continuing to sob uncontrollably.

Carla let out a long sigh, scratching the back of her neck.

"How much did you have?" Carla asked, completely calm.

"Two ounces" Sammy managed to choke out.

"Do you realize how fucking expensive that stuff is Sammy?! How the hell did you pay for it?!"

"I didn't" Carla's eyes became completely stoic.

"Did you steal it?" Sammy took some quick breaths, slowing her breathing right down to its normal speed before she spoke.

"Yes" Sammy met Carla's eyes, completely serious. "There's no way they will be able to find out, i left no trace, honest, we're in the clear!"

Carla rolled her eyes, resting her face against her open palm, not being able to speak.

"Paula, we are fine, honestly" Carla said nothing, she just stared down at the woman, speechless.

It was then that Carla's eyes were drawn to a small amount of a dried red substance on the woman's shoulder, she stepped forward, getting a closer look. It was a small amount of dried blood, running down from two small circular holes.

"Oh, so you took it right from the source this time, fucking great" Carla turned around, heading for the door, and for her things, she needed to get out, she felt the heat slowly rising up from the pit of her stomach as she spoke, she needed to get out and calm down.

"Carla?!" Sammy followed her quickly, not wanting to let her go. "Where are you going? What are you doing?"

Carla tried to ignore her voice, knowing that the longer she stayed and argued, the harder it would be to control herself.

"Hey!" Sammy caught her arm and Carla pulled her coat, bag and car keys of the hooks where she had left them the previous night.

Carla gave Sammy a sideways glance, warning her.

"What are you doing, Paula?"

"I need to get out of here, because my room mate is a worthless V addict who doesn't even have the self respect or personal strength to look after herself, honestly, you go from associating with hill billy drug dealers to getting involved with the vampire community, trust me, you are making a huge mistake, and you're not dragging me down with you" Carla swung the front door open with considerable force, slamming it shut behind her, so hard that it rattled in the frame for a few moments.

* * *

Carla had driven her car to the only place she really knew apart from the local convenience store in this town, so now here she was, sat outside Merlotte's bar and grill, her legs outside of the car, her hands rubbing her temples slowly, trying to regain some composure.

"You're here early" Carla jumped out of the skin, causing her old car to shake and groan. Sam immediately apologized for frightening her.

"It's okay, i had a fight with my room mate" Carla leaned against the side of the front car seat. "Would you like me to leave?"

Sam shook his head, looking down at her, she met his gaze.

"It's okay, i know it must be difficult to live with an addict" Carla sighed.

"Now she's getting involved with vampires, and i know it can't be pretty" Sam glanced down at her.

"Listen, if you ever need any help, i'm here, i mean if you need overtime, i can give you money for it" Carla turned to her head to him, and smiled.

"I'm fine, we'll find a way to get through this, at least, i hope, i really need this, a place to stay, where i'm safe and secure, feels like I've been on the run for so long, it's never ending" Sam looked down at her suspiciously.

"From your parents?" Carla blinked, realizing she almost gave herself away.

"Yeah" She decided to change the subject as quickly as possible.

"So do you have anything going on in the mornings here?" Carla asked, smiling faintly, trying to take her mind off what was happening at home.

"Trash gets taken away, i usually sweep and mop the place and wipe down all the surfaces if i'm not busy" Carla nodded.

"You need some help?" Sam glanced down at her, and she smiled politely. "Oh, you don't have to pay me, it's just a have no where else to be" Sam nodded, unsure of accepting her help, but accepting none the less.

"Thanks, Sam" Sam simply saluted, and walked off towards the bar, pulling the keys out of his back pocket, Carla locked up her car and followed him.

* * *

Carla spent her day sweeping and mopping the floors of the bar, completely cleaning the place out, by the time she was finished it was time to get behind the bar and serve the first customers, along with Sookie and Arlene, there was now another waitress, apparently Carla's first day happened to be the woman's day off. She introduced herself as Dawn, and certainly appeared to be an overly promiscuous character, though she seemed friendly enough, so Carla was polite, as she should be.

The night was pretty slow, like the previous one, and as it got to the middle of her shift, Carla's eye lids were already beginning to droop almost closed. The sound of the door to the bar flying open and slamming with a loud clatter into the wooden entry way made her eyes snap open, and her mind become alert.

"Paula!?" Sammy came storming in looking around, all of the people who were previously eating their meals, now looked up and followed this strange woman who had not been seen in the bar before make a scene of herself.

Sam walked quickly out from the back, along with all of the other staff, trying to find out what the ruckus was about.

"Paula!" Sammy repeated as she spotted Carla behind the bar, walking around the bar to get to her. "Paula, I sorted it all out now, it's fine, there's no way we will be getting in any trouble anymore, so i can expect-" Sam cut the woman off, standing in her path to Carla.

"Paula, if there is an urgent issue between the two of you, you can take it outside, not inside my bar" Carla shook her head.

"There is no issue" Carla said, her face completely emotionless and hard.

"Paw! Please" Sammy winged from where she stood on the other side of Sam.

"Sammy, leave" Carla said simply, not moving from her position lent against the bar.

"Paw... no... i sorted everything out, were fine-"

"SAMMY, LEAVE!" Carla stepped forward, pointing at the door, her eyes blazing with anger.

Sammy's gaze dropped, as if she were a naughty child receiving a scolding from her head mistress, she walked back to the door where she had entered, leaving without saying another word.

Once Sammy had disappeared through the doors, Carla strode out from behind the bar and down the back, towards Sam's office, for a little privacy.

Sookie followed her, and once she was inside the office, Sookie closed the door behind her.

"Are you okay? Sam told me you've had a rough day" Carla let out a hissing sigh, and met the blondes eye.

"She just, she's going to get herself killed, and there's nothing i can do" Carla only just managed to hold back tears, she told herself she was in way to deep, and over attached to the girl, but any sort of death, whether it was human or animal deeply saddened her, it was normal for her kind.

Sookie frowned, putting a hand on the woman's shoulder, pulling her into a hug, before suddenly gasping and stepping back, her eyes wide, and her hand on her head.

"What is it?" Carla looked confused. But Sookie wasn't paying attention, she appeared to be seeing things that Carla could not see, her eyes flicked around the room ceaselessly, she looked terrified.

"Sookie? What's wrong?" Carla stepped forward, reaching her hand forward to try and comfort Sookie. Suddenly Sookie tripped backwards, almost falling straight back onto the floor, Carla grabbed her, laying her down gently on the floor, the blonde was completely out of it, it appeared she had fainted.

"SAM!"

* * *

Carla and Sam sat next to the clean hospital bed in the pristine ward of the Monroe hospital, it was around seven and deadly quiet, Carla had her head in her hands, trying to work out what had happened, clearly something had happened due to Sookie touching her, she just wondered what it could have been.

"Are you sure that's all that happened?" Sam asked out of the blue.

"Yes, she tripped and hit her head" Carla lied, looking up, as Sookie began to move.

Both of them sprung up and went to her bed side, as she stirred, and looked up at the two of them.

As Sookie laid her eyes on Carla, they widened a little, but she seemed to act normally apart from that. Shuffling up the bed, Sookie rubbed her forehead, and then the back of her head.

"What happened?" Sookie was lying, she knew exactly what had happened, Carla could tell by her tone of voice, she straightened up.

"We were in Sam's office, and you tripped and knocked your head, you passed out, are you feeling alright?" Sookie nodded her head, glancing at Carla out of the corner of her eye.

"I feel okay, apart from a bit of a head ache, and probably a big bruise" Sam let out a sigh of relief, reaching over to squeeze Sookies hand.

"I'll go and get the doctor, hopefully he can do the checks and discharge you" Sam smiled at them both, and walked out of the cubicle.

The two of them were alone, and their eyes were locked together.

"You're like me" Sookie said simply, a tiny bit louder than a whisper.

"What?"

"I said: You're like me"

"No, what you do mean, like you?"

"Listen, I'm telepathic, i can hear peoples thoughts" Carla looked skeptically at her.

"Right..."

"But i can't hear yours, and when i tried really hard, on your first day, you vomited" Carla's eyes narrowed.

"And when i touched you, this evening, i saw, images, there was a tall blonde boy, a huge, white spotted big cat, and a small group of wooden houses grouped together in the middle of a ring of hills" Carla's eyes widened as the woman spoke, and she stepped back away from the bed, still staring at her.

"That's impossible..."

"Your name's actually Carla, right?" Sookie just appeared curious, unaware of the possible dangers knowing that knowledge put her in.

"Shh!"

"What?"

"Just don't say anything else, once we get out of here, i will explain, but not before"

"Okay"

Sam came back into the cubicle, a small black woman at his side, a nurse. She quickly checked Sookie for any signs concussion, before deciding she was fine, and leaving to sign the discharge papers.

* * *

**Later that night**

"Are you a vampire?"

"No"

"Like a vampire?"

Carla said nothing.

"So what's the deal?" Sookie questioned, Carla sat beside her, they were currently in Sookie's car out in the Merlotte's parking lot.

"The deal is that we are nothing alike, you are telepathic, and i am not, and the less you know about me, the better"

"Why?"

Carla sighed, meeting the blondes stare with intense eyes.

"Because it puts you in danger, and believe it or not, i don't want to see the people around me dead, the less you know, the less you can tell, and the less you can tell, the more likely it is you stay alive"

"But who would be coming to kill me?"

"People who think you know things"

"People such as?"

"God dammit Sookie! Just stop!"

They were both silent.

"Just trust me, you don't want to be involved"

"What if i do?"

"You don't"

Silence.

"But we're both different, we should stick together, look out for each other?"

"No"

Carla opened her car door, getting out and walking over to her own car, it was way past the time she should be home, and she deciding it was also way past the time that the conversation should have ended.

"Paula, come on, we need to look out for one another!" Sookie shouted from her car, Carla was thankful she hadn't called her by her real name, but nonetheless, she was still pissed of at the night's events.

"No, Sookie, go home and forget about it!" Getting inside her car, she started the engine and drove away, heading for home, trying to push these problems to the back of her mind for now.

* * *

After parking her car in the driveway, Carla ran up the pathway to the front door, getting her keys out, she couldn't wait to get inside and relax, hopefully Sammy was already asleep, so she would be able to have a quiet night of catching up on the sleep she missed out on during the previous night.

As Carla glanced down at the door, to put her key in the hole, she realized the door was already ajar, confused as to how and why it would be left slightly open the way it was, she pushed through the door, into the house.

Carla couldn't hear anything in the house, and all the lights were out, taking a deep breath, she could smell the unrest in the air. Leaving the front door slightly open, as a means of escape, she checked behind it, to make sure no-one was hiding there.

All of the doors in the house were left open, apart from Sammy's room, Carla decided to check if she was okay, considering there may have been a possible intruder, and in light of the night's events.

Sneaking carefully and quietly up to the door, and pressing down on the door handle to open it without too much noise, she glanced inside the room, and saw Sammy laying across her bed in a awkward position, curious, Carla swung open the door, and turned on the main light.

Only then did she realise that the woman was as white as a sheet of paper.

Carla ran over to the bed and climbed on next to Sammy, shaking her to try and wake her.

Sammy didn't respond, Carla began to panic, lowering her ear to the woman's chest, she couldn't hear a heartbeat.

Carla considered mouth to mouth, but feeling how cold the woman was against her thigh, she decided it was too late.

Sammy was gone, and she had been gone for a long time now.

* * *

**Thanks for reading guys, hope you enjoyed! Please leave me a review telling me what you think, and i know, it is pretty boring and slow at the moment, but i am trying to get this part out of the way as quickly as possible, i am trying to give Carla a reason to stay in Bon Temps, so i guess you can tell who killed Sammy now? :P**

**Right, thanks guys, hopefully see you next chapter, and thanks for the support! 3**

**-Shad out.**


	4. Murderer on the Loose

**Welcome back! Enjoy this one, and please give me a review, it is much appreciated, i like to know what you think! Thanks a bunch for coming back and taking the time to read my fanfic, all support is greatly appreciated! :)**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter four - Murderer on the Loose

* * *

Carla was curled up on the floor of Sammy's room, though it was no longer her room, what else was there to call it.

Carla stared out of the door, down the corridor, and at the back of the couch in the lounge room.

She had been laying here silently since the police had left, about three hours ago, it had taken them an awful long time to take away the body and collect all of the evidence. Budd, the sheriff, had told her that he would do all in his power to find out who had killed Sammy, but Carla wasn't confident.

Every time Carla breathed in, her nostrils were filled with the scent of Sammy's killer, heavy in fabric softener, as if his clothes were often washed. There was no other scent in the room, and no other evidence she could identify, the owner of the funeral home and corner of the town, a strange man by the name of Mike Spencer. He had a macabre personality, and a sense of cheerful brutality about him, which Carla supposed was good when you spent most of your time dealing with cadavers.

The ticking of her watch suddenly rose in volume, and she glanced down at it's face, almost time for work, Carla sighed.

Carla dragged her self from the floor and headed for the bathroom, to wash herself up, though she was getting out of her work clothing, she knew she would need to get back in to it, so she took a few minutes to spray the shorts and T-shirt with deodorant, so it didn't smell as bad.

She had no idea how she was going to manage to pay the rent, or the bills, or even find out who was responsible for Sammy's murder, the police said she was asphyxiated, but Carla could tell, considering the slightly brown marks around the woman's neck, the only bruising that could occur before rigamortis set in to her young frail body.

These thoughts continued to swirl around in her head, as she drove into the the bar and grill parking lot, and locked her car up, heading inside, and getting ready for work, as she made her way behind the bar, ready for opening time, she ignored the eyes that stuck to her like glue, stares that came from all of the employees in the place.

Carla simply got on with wiping down the surfaces and then leaning her back against the bar, ready for opening.

Sam came round the corner from his office, taking a double take when he noticed her behind the bar, Sookie pulled him to where the three waitresses were  
standing, and began whispering ferociously at him.

Sam sighed and walked over to Carla, she didn't need to hear them to know what he was going to say.

"Hey, Paula, are you sure you should be in tonight, considering?" Sam stood a couple of feet away from her, as if she might lash out at him in her grief.

"Considering what Sam?" Carla looked up, locking her eyes with his, which caused his to glance down at the floor in uncertainty.

"Considering the murder" Sam added.

"Trust me, i have shed my tears for Sammy, i understand that news of this nature travels like wild fire in a small town such as this, but i am afraid missing a day of work would mean i would lose my house, even though i doubt if i work from now until the end of the month, every day, full time, i will still not be able to meet my rent for next month" Sam frowned.

"Additionally, i cannot bear to be in that house another moment, knowing what happened there, what some sick bastard did there, it drives me mad" Carla continued. "I don't even want to go home tonight" Her voice remained stiff, but a small tear trailed down her cheek.

"I'm so sorry Paula" Sookie came rushing past Sam, her arms out stretched, about to give her a charging hug.

Carla simply stood still and Sooke threw her arms around her, and Carla patted the telopaths back with one hand, whispering a warning dangerously low into her ear, so that no-one else could hear.

"Don't you dare Sookie" Sookie was aware what she was referring to, and slowly ceased her contact.

"Well if you want to work, i won't stop you, but if you need a break, feel free to step into my office at any time during your shift, and i can tend the bar while you cool off" Sam gave a tiny smile at the edges of his lips, he was a sympathetic man, if also secretive, his infatuation with a certain blonde waitress was not very secretive though.

Carla nodded, her eyes now fixed on the blonde. Arlene and Dawn left as Sam went back to his office, going back to stand by the kitchen, far enough away for the blonde to start questioning her.

"Did those people you were telling me about last night that wanted you dead kill your flat mate?" Carla stood up straight, turning away from the blonde as if they weren't talking.

"No" Carla checked her watch.

"Then who?"

"I don't know, but i would know if it was them"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Sookie, please relax, if there is danger of that kind, you would be the first one i would tell, honest"

Sookie let out a quick sigh.

"Okay" She went to leave, but stopped almost immediately.

"Carla, really, i am sorry, i know how it feels to lose someone"

Carla looked up at the blonde, and she could see the hurt in her eyes, she had lost someone close, Mother or father maybe, or a grandparent that was close maybe.

Carla gave a faint smile to the blonde, and nodded.

"Thank you, Sookie"

* * *

Early in the night Sookie received a call from a woman, which she took and ended quickly, apologizing to Sam for taking a call during work, knowing that she shouldn't while she was working, which prompted Sam to bring up the issue of Arlene's phone usage during work.

"Hey!" Arlene said as she came round the corner from the kitchens. "I heard that!"

"Well, i wish you would hear that Arlene!" Sam joked.

"Please, Sam, I have kids!" Arlene said as she continued to walk towards her table.

Just after this, Dawn came to the bar, holding her order book and tray in her hands, she paused next to Sookie to say "Mack and Denise Ratray are just about to sit down in your section" which caused both women to look over towards the two rednecks who were about to sit down, the woman rearranging her bra while the man forcefully swung his hand back and smacked her on the ass. At which she turned and and yelled "What the fuck" smacking the man on the arm.

Sookie let out a pained sigh, turn back around towards the bar. At which Sam said,

"Don't let 'em get to you, cher, they're not worth it" He then turned away and started washing up some of the glasses in the sink, at which Carla furrowed her brow.

Sookie turned away and went to serve the two, who were now sitting down.

"Who are they?" Carla asked, taking the opportunity to ask him a few questions while he was doing her work, which she neglected to inform him.

"They're just a scummy pair, thieves, drug addicts, drug dealers" Sam replied, Carla took interest in the last words.

"Don't look like the type to me" Carla admitted, leaning against the bar next to Sam.

"Well, here they are definitely the type, trust me, you don't want to be involved with them"

"Don't worry, i have no plan to" Carla said, as she was looking over at the two, who were staring up at Sookie, who looked as if she was close to lashing out at one of them, her awkward false grin slowly becoming larger, and more like a sneer.

The phone began to ring and Sam went to answer it, where Carla picked up where he had left the washing. Sure enough, it was for Arlene, from one of her kids, and so she began a motherly lecture down the phone about scary movies and how the kids should listen to 'Rene', Arlene's boyfriend, Carla guessed.

Sookie left the table with the two rednecks, and walked to the kitchens at a hurried pace.

Sookie's friend Tara arrived soon after the brief phone conversation, Tara said that her and Sookie had known each other since they were very young, she sat at the bar, constantly ordering drinks, which Carla made without question, while the woman continually spoke about the amount of racist rednecks in the town, and about how much she was discriminated against. Personally, Carla just thought that Tara was stewing for a fight, in any shape or form, and she had a very short fuse, something that didn't help when working with people, so Carla was calm and polite with her.

Sam was hanging around the bar tonight, not doing anything, just being a nuscience in the eyes of Carla, who had to keep asking him to move so that she could get to things he was standing in front of, he appeared to just be watching what was going on in the bar, but Carla saw his eyes keep trailing onto the same person, Sookie.

Whenever Sookie came over to the bar to ask for a drink for one of her tables, Sam would insist on making it for her. Carla sighed at how obvious he was, and yet Sookie seemed to take no notice.

When Sookie came over to the bar Tara began talking to her, but Carla wasn't paying much attention, she was more paying attention to the two red necks in their seats, she had pretended not to know them, playing the part, but Carla guessed that these were the ones who had been Sammy's V suppliers most of the time, before the incident with the vampire. In this town drug dealers must be few a far between, considering the unfasioned nature, so it must be them, considering Sammy had told her they were 'Red necks'.

Carla had her thought pattern disturbed as Sam pushed past her to meet Sookie at the bar.

"Hey, how you doing Sookie?" He asked, grinning widely.

"I've had better nights" She admitted.

"Anything i can do to improve this one for you?" Sam asked, leaning forward over the bar towards her.

Sookie made a surprised face, blinking twice and then widening her eyes, wondering what he was hinting at.

Sam reseeded back, wetting his lips and breaking eye contact, Carla rolled her eyes at the awkward exchange.

Sookie turned around slowly, as if she had heard something from behind her that broke her concentration, Carla immediately fixed her eyes on the source of the disruption. A vampire had just sat down in Sookie section, before promptly locking a gaze with the blonde waitress.

He was deathly pale, looked to be in his late thirty's wearing a brown jacket and black trousers, he slumped forward in his chair, clean shaven with little specs of black on his chin. His brown hair was short and messy, more like bed hair than any style, his face had barely any color apart from a slight redness in his lips.

They stared at each other for a few moments before Sookie turned around to face the bar again, a big grin on her face, she leaned over the bar.

"Oh my god! I think Merlottes just got it's first vampire!" She said excitedly, glancing between the three of them, but Carla didn't meet her eyes, she was now staring at the vampire completely rigid, thankfully the vamp was just staring at Sookies back.

"I think you're right" Sam just said, the displeasure evident in his tone.

"Can you believe it! Right here in Bon Temps!" Sookie seemed so excited, while the others were wary, and Carla was contemplating running right now. "I've been waiting for this to happen ever since they came out of the coffin two years ago!" Sookie snatched up her order booklet and pen, and walked over to go and serve the vampire. Carla stepped forward a moment to late to catch the blonde's arm, but she was gone.

"Shit" Carla said, but Sam stopped her.

"It's okay, if anything happens, i'll sort it out" he reassured her, and Carla realized there was nothing she could do but nod, she didn't want to lose her job for starting a fight in the bar, nor did she want to appear too anti-vampire.

"This isn't good" Carla sighed.

"Not at all" Tara agreed, all of them looking at Sookie and the vampire.

Sookie arrived at the vampires table and appeared to be making chit chat with him, then the vampire quickly glanced over at Sam and then moved his gaze to Carla'a face, Carla turned away, making sure that he didn't get a clear look at her face.

When she looked back, Sookie had quickly exited and walked back towards the bar, and the Ratrays had turned around, coming to sit with the vampire, introducing themselves. Denise sat right next to the vamp, while Mack sat opposite.

* * *

"What a bitch" Sookie was stood next to Tara, who was still sat up on a bar stool at the bar. "You really think shes gonna let him bite her?" Refering to Denise Ratray who was now leaning up against the vampire like a bitch in heat.

"You wouldn't believe the amount of people having sex with vampires these days! and some of those people, disappear." Tara said, looking at the vampire warily.

"No" Sookie replied "He's not like that"

"Okay, okay, you spoke to him for like a minute, you don't know how many people he's sucked the blood out of over the last however many centuries his been alive"

"But he's so not scary"

"Sweet Jesus in heaven Sookie! He is a vampire!"

"Yeah but the synthetic blood has everything-"

"Are you willing to give up all your favorite food and spend the rest of your life drinking slim fast?" Sam butted in, joining the argument. Sookie replied by looking down at the floor then leering at Tara then rolling her eyes to the ground.

"Sookie, just, be careful" Carla said, catching the waitresses eye.

Tara got up to excuse herself to the bathroom. Then shortly after Sookie went back over towards the vampire's table, to ask if they wanted anything else, Carla expected.

Carla turned back to her washing up, and when she looked up, she saw Sookie run off to the ladies room in some sort of hurry, something was wrong.

Shortly after Sookie came running around the corner next to the bar, pulling Tara by the wrist with her.

"No we do not, we don't have to get anywhere near that vampire!" Tara said, looking worried.

Carla walked over to small door to the bar, leaning against the door frame, listening to the two of them.

"Tara i am very disappointed in you and your small mindedness" Sookie looked angry.

"Sookie" Sam pushed past Carla, joining in in their conversation again. "The vampire can take care of himself i promise you!" He leaned on the bar in front of Carla.

Sookie then turned around to see that the vampire and the Retrays where gone. "Shit!" She exclaimed, throwing her appron on the bar and running out of the back door.

"Sam, tend the bar!" Carla said, as she went running after Sookie.

* * *

Upon getting outside Carla saw Sookie running off towards some trees further away in the parking lot, Carla went into the bushes on the opposite side of the parking lot, and followed the tree line, making sure she wasn't seen. Sookie picked up a heavy chain from the back of a pick up trunk that was parked in the car park, picking it up as quickly and quietly as possible, she started to move towards the loud voices of the Ratrays. Carla moved closer so she could see what was happening, so she could run out and help if she was needed.

As Sookie got closer, Carla saw the vampire turn and see her, but he remained silent, he was draped with silver across his throat and arms, with cannulas in his arms draining the blood out of him in to blood bags. He was completely helpless, the Ratrays were arguing with one another, keeping them distracted, Denise was fiddling with the equipment and Sookie raised the chain and brought it down on Mack's back, she fell to his knees, groaning in pain.

"You crazy bitch!" He turned around and got back to his feet, pulling out a knife from his back pocket. and lashing out towards Sookie.

Sookie stepped back and flung the chain at Mack's neck, and it curled itself around the mans throat, suffocating him.

A flash of white light at the corner of her eye caught Carla's eye, she turned her head and saw a tall black haired woman, her skin pink and full of life, she wore a long flowing dress, and light had come from her hand that she held up in front of her, Carla turned to walk towards her, but a stick cracked underneath her foot, and the beauty in the dress noticed her and evaporated into a flash of white light.

"Damn!" Carla cursed under her breath. Turning back to see Denise Ratray dragging Mack away from Sookie, who was holding out the knife that Mack had pulled on her.

Sookie quickly threw the knife aside and descended on the weaken vampire, pulling the silver off him and watching him heal almost instantly.

Suddenly a car came rushing towards Sookie and the vampire, and she had to get up and help him pull himself out of the way of the oncoming tire. As the car went by Denise yelled "I'll get you bitch!", before driving out of the parking lot.

Carla couldn't hear the two as they began to converse, the vampire with his back against a tree, looking completely bemused.

Carla kept a close eye, just in case the vampire decided to try anything on, knowing what vampires were capable of, and know that most could not be trust, she got ready to go and get Sookie, now that she had gone and played vigilante.

Suddenly the vampire used his superior speed to move right in front of Sookie, and Carla knew what was going to happen next, she made her way quickly but silently out of the bushes and over to where to two of them stood.

"Sookie" she said, meeting Sookie's eyes first, and then the vampire's, giving him an innocent but fiery stare of warning. "Sam wants you back at the bar, your sections ain't getting served and he's getting real grouchy" Carla did her best to sound as if she hadn't seen anything.

"Well" Sookie turned back towards the vampire "Seeya Bill, i got to get back to work" Sookie stepped down away from the vampire, and Carla gave him one last precise stare, before walking away beside Sookie, back to the bar.

Sam was waiting outside the door for them when they got close to the bar again.

"Sookie, Paula! Thank God!" He had his hands on his hips and was indeed looking grouchy, and worried. "You okay?" He was addressing Sookie mostly.

"I'm fine!" Sookie smiled smugly at the man, "And for your information, not all vampires can take care of themselves!" Carla smiled and glanced at Sookie, smiling and shrugging.

They both walked around him, Carla first, entering the bar by the back entrance again, leaving him outside.

Tara tended the bar with Carla for the rest of the night, helping to serve drinks and wash up cups, and also eat most of the olives that were meant for the cocktails.

When it got to the end of the night, and all of the patrons had finally returned home, clean up begun, and Carla started working through the glasses that needed washing up, while Tara ate olives.

"Thanks for helping me tonight Tara" Sam came over to the bar, holding an empty coffee mug, which Carla snatched out of his hands to wash up.

"How much you gonna pay me?" Tara questioned, a smile on her face.

"Umm, twenty bucks?" Sam said, as if he wasn't sure she'd accept it.

"Sam! How'd you expect me to work here for twenty bucks a night!?"

"I don't expect you to work here!"

"You only covered tonight for what, an hour at the most?"

"Yeah, but still, if i did work here-"

"It'd only be a matter of time before you went off on somebody" He scoffed "I don't wanna drive my customers away!"

"I only go off on stupid people!" Tara shot back, ready to give the sas. Carla began putting away all the washed and dried glasses, only half listening to the conversation.

"Most of my customers are stupid people"

"Yeah, but... I could help you keep an eye on Sookie" Carla whirled around, folding her arms over her chest.

"You see the way she was looking at that vampire" Tara added, "That is just trouble looking for a place to happen... and she means to much to both of us to let anything happen to her"

"I think i was the one who looked after he tonight, i can do it again, believe it or not, i don't much like being put out of a job only a couple weeks after i started" The two of them looked at her.

"The more the better" Sam muttered, deep in thought.

"Quite" Tara agreed.

"Well, be here tomorrow at six, both of you, you're no longer part time Paula, i'll pay you both full wage, you can both tend the bar"

They both nodded in unison, and Tara smiled, Sam picked up the book of drink recipes, and handed it to Tara.

"You'll need to learn this on your own, alright, i don't have time to train you"

"Sam, i was mixing whiskey sours for my mum when i was in first grade" Tara replied "It's just like riding a bicycle" Tara chuckled.

"Hey, that's fucked up" Carla said, furrowing her brow.

"Ya think?" Tara nodded. "My mumma crazy"

Carla glanced over, hear the side door of the bar go, and a tall muscular man enter. He walked quickly with a long stride over to the bar, before pointing at Sam.

"Hey Sam, 's my sister here?" He asked.

"No, Sookie already went home" Sam wandered away. Carla came forward to stand in front of the bar, looking at the new guy.

"Hey, Jason" Tara said, standing in front of him with a huge smile on her face. Carla raised an eyebrow.

"Hey..." Jason said, Sookies brother, as it would appear.

"Ur, my name's Tara, I've been your sisters best friend since kindergarten, i used to sleep over at your house for like, years" Tara chuckled.

"I know who you are" jason said, nodding to himself, before taking a sip of the bear he poured himself by reaching over from the other sie of the bar.

"You better know who i am" Tara said, instantly serious, a personality train that Carla had noticed in Tara, that she could change mood almost completely in no time at all.

Jason looked shocked, and Carla only just managed to stifle a giggle.

"Well hello stranger" Dawn wandering in from the back, standing behind Jason, she had a big smile on her face, flicking her head back so her hair fell away from her face, Jason glanced back and then turned around, heading over to her.

"Hey... Dawn, come 'ere" he beckoned with his hand, pulled the waitress into a hug, she giggled.

Tara looked incredibly pissed off, Carla coughed, making a puking noise only loud enough for Tara to hear, who nodded.

"Look at 'chu you look great" Jason complimented, holding her around the waist. Dawn chucked. "How you been?"

"Fine. Partyin'"

"So you ain't mad at me?"

"Why would i be mad at you?"

"Well for not calling, you know, the usual" Carla rolled her eyes, turning away and pretending to do something, so that she wasn't just left to watch those two.

"Jason, baby, i ain't got no expectations of you, i'm not an idiot" Dawn giggled again, as if everything had a tinge of humor smothered on it.

"When do you get off work?"

"Oh i don't know, oh, well, right now"

Tara looked as if she could kill someone right about now, Carla actually contemplated having to hold her down to stop her from gutting the brown haired waitress.

"You wanna go somewhere?" Jason questioned, though it was obvious where 'somewhere' was.

"Well, yeah i do, i wanna go home!" Dawn giggled again, walking out.

"Nice seeing you Tara, good luck!" Jason said, not even turning around, following Dawn like a little lost puppy.

"Well, i'm going too, see you tomorrow Tara, try not to kill anyone on your way home" Carla gave a small smile, heading out the back to get her things.

Tara gave a low grunt as she left.

* * *

**Thanks for reading, nice to see you! Hope you enjoyed this chapter? or maybe you didn't? Got a comment? Please give a review! I know my OC is rather boring currently, but trust me, when we get involved with a certain blonde, things will begin to exhelerate, and Carla will completely change.  
****See you next time (hopefully)! **

**Thanks to VampireElf, Saskiamq and Kandyk267 for their reviews, good to know that you like my story and want me to continue!  
**

**I've almost finished writing the last chapter of this season, so i will soon start on season two which will include a lot of Eric/OC.**

**-Shad out.**


	5. Meeting a New Face

**Welcome back and i hope you enjoy! Thanks for all the support! It's really appreciated!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light  
**

* * *

Chapter five - Meeting a New Face

* * *

Carla arrived at Merlotte's early the next day, finding herself unable to stay at home, she knocked on Sam's door, waking him up in the process, he handed her the keys, telling her to open up early while he got changed.

As it got to mid-day, the bar opened up for lunch, with both Tara and Carla behind the bar, Arlene was off that night, so it was only Sookie and Dawn waitressing.

Lunch went by without an issue, and as night fell, Sam decided to start hanging around the bar and the kitchen, waiting for the vampire to show his face, something that Carla wished he wouldn't do, it made her nervous seeing him nervous, always carrying around a dish cloth and fiddling with it.

As it came towards dinner time, Arlene came in with her partner, Rene, and his friend, Hoyt. At a glance they both seemed normal, but there was something about Rene that Carla couldn't put her finger on, something not quite right.

Carla was leaning against the bar, waiting for an order, next to Tara who had her feet up on the counter reading the cocktails book Sam had told her to learn.

A large redneck came into the bar and took a seat at the bar, just in front of Tara'a feet, looking at her curiously, like inspecting something completely out of place in the room. Carla stood up and started washing up the bear glasses in the sick behind the bar, drying them and then putting them away, a repetitive job but something that took her mind of other things.

"Could you see to this one for me, Tara?" Carla asked politly, not looking up from her work.

"Yeah, in a sec"

"Hey, hooker, whatchu' doing here?" Lafayette walked behind the bar and poured himself a drink.

"I work here" Tara replied.

"Oh, no the hell you don't"

"Oh yes the hell i do too, you ugly bitch, you need to make peace with that"

Carla put the last glass on the shelf, and walked out the back, leaving them to sort out their argument, it was a full moon tonight, and already Carla was getting the tingles, like pins and needles all the way up the sides of her thighs and the tips of her fingers, and they would only get worse as the night went on. It only took one moment of lost control and Carla's body would be human no longer, something she really hated about what she was, was these nights, once a month, she would be irritated by this feeling.

Carla leaned up against the wall, on the other side was the kitchen, and thankfully the two waitresses weren't here, so she was alone.

Taking a deep sigh, Carla pushed the feeling to the back of her mind, trying to ignoring the niggling tingles in her body, when suddenly everyone seemed to appear from no-where, Carla couldn't tell if they'd been there all along and she had simply been too out of focus tonight to notice, or they had just moved the location of their conversation without warning.

"Arrested! For what?" Sookie was interrogating Dawn, and Carla hadn;t been paying attention to what or why she was.

"I don't know!" Dawn exclaimed.

"Sook, i'm sorry about yo' brother" Lafayette suddenly appeared from the direction of the bar, heading back into the kitchen, but pausing outside the endtrance to talk to Sookie.

"How come everybody knew about this before i did?"Sookie continued to question.

"Well i was there baby gurl, i saw he get carted away" Lafayette explained.

"And i was complaining to Arlene about Jason hanging up on me when we where making a date and not calling me back and that's when she told me" Dawn added.

"Arlene? How does she know?" Sookie said.

"I guess Rene told her" Dawn answered.

"It's a small town, everyone knows everyone else, are you surprised that word gets around fast? Or are you surprised that Jason didn't want you to know first?" Carla asked, looking at Sookie, who began to walk away toward the bar.

"Besides... we figured you'd just..." Dawn continued.

"I just what?" Sookie stopped and turned back to Dawn.

"Sweetie... didn't you just know already?"

"I am not, Psychic!" Sookie turned back away, and stormed off.

"Good job, Dawn, really, that's just fantastic" Carla said, scratching the side of her head while looking at the wall in front of her.

"Well what? Couple years back she knew me and Jason were going out even before we made it official, how the hell did she know if she weren't?"

"Never mind" Carla said, shaking her head, heading back behind the bar, leaning forward on it.

As the door in front her her opened, she glanced up to meet the eyes of Bill the vampire walking towards a table, which was, of course, in Sookie's section. Sookie turned around from talking to Arlene, Hoyt and Rene over by the pool table to go and sit with him, which attracted the attention of every single pair of eyes in the establishment.

Sam came to the bar and Tara stood right next to him, Carla simply stood exactly where she was, and watched the two with interest, it was very obvious that Sookie was getting herself in way to deep with the wrong crowd, a vampire crowd was definitely the wrong type of crowd to be with.

This put Carla in danger too, as if Sookie was susceptible to glamour, her secret would slip through the girls lips like water through a sieve. Carla would have to wait after work and speak to Sookie about this, maybe she would even catch the vampire too, considering his attraction to her, it wouldn't be surprising if they were meeting after work.

Quickly the vampire stood up and walked out of the bar, leaving Sookie sitting alone at the table, she leaned back in the chair, a pained expression on her face, Sam strode out from behind the bar, straight over to Sookie, he snatched her arm roughly and pulled her up and towards the back, and his office. Tara followed a few moments later, and then, eventually, Carla decided too as well.

Carla pushed open the door to Sam's office and was immediately hit by Sookie speed walking out of the room, she looked positively fuming. She pushed past Carla and walked back towards the bar, Carla simply stood there and looked at the two still inside the office.

"Well that went well" She said, with one eyebrow raised.

"Oh shut the fuck up" Tara said, a mixture of angry and disappointed.

"You know she is a grown woman, maybe we should let her make her own mistakes, for the mean time, i'll stick to her like glue and make sure that she is safe" Carla said, addressing Sam more than Tara, who looked completely deflated.

Sam simply nodded.

* * *

**Later that night**

Carla got off at 1:30, along with Sookie and Sam, they all filed out of the bar, with Sam last, who locked up.

Sookie walked towards her car, and Carla wandered behind her.

Sam paused for a moment, turning around to speak to Sookie.

"Sookie?"

"Go home, Sam" Sookie simply said, not even turning around.

Carla glanced over her shoulder at Sam, who nodded at her, and turned around to go in his front door.

They both reached Sookie's car, and Sookie turned to face Carla.

"What is it Carla, i'm not really in the mood tonight?"

"I just need to talk to you about this vampire thing"

"Oh, not you too, please I've had enough lecturing for one night"

"This is less ordering, and more cautioning" Carla assured her.

"Go on then"

"Vampires have a neat little trick called glamour, its like a form of hypnosis, and vampires use it to cover up their activities from humans, such as feedings and murders, now if a vampire decided to glamour you, all of your deepest darkest secrets would come gushing out like a shattered dam over a wide river. Please, just be careful, for both our sakes"

"Okay, i think i understand, maybe explain it to me again in the morning and i will be able to pay attention a lot better" Sookie said with a small smile.

"Okay then" Carla said, "Good night Sookie, take care of yourself"

Sookie nodded, leaning back against her car, Carla walked around the car, towards her own, which was through a row of trees. Getting in her car she leaned back against the seat, letting out a long and relaxing sigh.

Carla was then hit by a loud thump and heavy kicking sounds from back the way she had come, where Sookie was, fearing the worst, that maybe the vampire had come to kill Sookie, Carla pulled of her shorts and shirt and threw them on the passenger seat of her car, heading back into the row of undergrowth that separated the sections of the parking lot, she crept through the plants, before she saw where the noises were coming from.

Sookie was on the ground, with the two Ratrays kicking and beating her, she was covered in injuries and in blood, this caused Carla to completely lose control, and she crouched down, morphing into a white cheetah, with black spots, but much larger than any cheetah that could be seen naturally, equaling the size of a car.

Carla leapt out from the bushes, seeing that Mack was now aiming his gun at the head of the same collie that Carla had seen the previous night, that had come to check on Sookie during her conversation with Bill.

Within a few seconds, Carla was on top of Mack Ratray, ripping out his throat and causing his blood to spill all over the dusty parking lot floor. Stepping off of the lifeless body, Carla slowly padded towards Denise, who was now backing away from her, a look of pure terror all over her features and body language. She turned to run and Carla readied her pounce, but she was interrupted but a whooshing sound as Denise was thrown into the air where she collided with a tree and then slammed into the ground, breaking almost every bone in her body in the process, killing her stone dead.

Vampire Bill then emerged from the blurred image that vampires took on when they entered their vamp speed, in front of Carla, but a few steps away, as if he was frightened of her.

Sookie was still underneath Carla who stood over her protectively. But Sookie was coughing and spluttering, bringing up blood, barely alive, Carla knew that she would need vampire blood to survive, and so she receded back, allowing the vampire to get to Sookie. As he had proven himself, at least slightly, that he wanted to keep Sookie safe, therefore he was allowed, to save her life, as the pros far outweighed the cons.

Vampire Bill picked Sookie up in his arms and walked into the bushes surrounding the parking lot, not sure where he was heading, Carla decided to follow, she slowly got a hold of the reins and gained control of herself again, making sure to stay close enough to the vampire to see him and follow him, and making sure not to lose him, but she was sure he lost her a few times.

Bill stopped by a stream and laid Sookie down on the ground, he then knelt down beside her and propped her up on his knee, biting into his own arm, he told Sookie to drink from him, tell her she would not become a vampire, and warning her that she would die if she didn't comply, which was true, but after drinking his blood, Sookie laid back and slept, letting her body recover, Carla decided this was her chance to give the vampire her offer.

She prowled forwards out of the trees, which took the vampire by much surprise, so much so that he shuffled back away from Sookie and stood up straight, ready to fight. Sookie, thankfully, didn't stir. Carla moved within a few meters of the vampire, who didn't move from his position, trying to see if she was a threat, maybe.

In a swift movement, Carla pounced forward on the other side of Sookie, surprising the vampire, who revealed his fangs, in the same movement, she changed back into her human farm, with a wide smile on her face, there was nothing quite like scaring the immortals out of their skins, they didn't get to experience terror enough, she decided.

Carla gave a cheeky little giggle, and the vampire took in a deep unnecessary breath, in and then out.

"The bar tender from Merlottes? What are you?" Vampire Bill asked, inquisitive.

"Never mind that little vamp, i think you should be worrying more about your own hide right now, considering i could snap you like a dried twig" Carla gave a smile, she was a good liar, thankfully, and the vampires eyes widened a little.

"Now, Sookie is very... valuable to me, and i do not wish her to get... damaged, so to speak" Carla turned away from the vampire, pacing up and down on her side of Sookie, who was still dead to the world.

"I know there is a reason you have become so interested in her, and unless you wish me to tell her, i think you should keep my secret, and hers, and also be willing to protect her, with your life" Carla met Bill's eyes, he looked very intimidated by her presence, was it her threats, or the fact she was a strong willed woman?

"And why, i dare say, can't you protect her yourself? If you are powerful enough to kill a vampire such as myself, then you must be strong enough to protect and lowly human?" Bill asked, looking smug.

"Alas, i have work to do that is far more important than a simple human, though we both know she is much more than that, there are people farther up the vampire hierarchy that i must, shall we say, deal with" Carla let a sadistic smile creep on to her face, if only it was the case. "As she has started to show a liking to you, i think you should continue to play your, dashing stranger act, as she seems to like it so much, and take her under your protection, so no other vampire will be allowed to touch her, the the list of threats would be... drastically shortened"

Carla leaned forward, inspecting the vampire closely with her piercing gray eyes. He looked very uncomfortable, and even frightened, which put a smile on Carla's face.

"So... basics of the deal... you look after Sookie, or i squash you beneath my paw, deal?" Carla put her hands on her hips, waiting for the vampires reply.

"Well, i suppose in that case i have no choice, don't you think?" He raised an eyebrow, trying to look cool and calm, something he was not succeeding in.

"Good, and no funny business, or you know the consequences" Carla turned away, but looked over he shoulder to make sure he acknowledged. Which he did, with a brief nod.

Carla started to walk away, shifting effortlessly back into her cheetah form, and rushing back towards the parking lot, and her car.

Hopefully tonight's exchange wouldn't come back to bite her in the ass at a later date.

* * *

**So how do you like Carla? Please tell me what you think! I love reading your reviews and your opinion is valued very highly, thank you for spending your time reading my fanfic, i am very grateful! Have a great day and i hope you enjoyed!**

**Until next time, see ya!**

**-Shad out**


	6. Moving House

**Welcome back! Great to see you! Please R&R your comments and opinions are greatly appreciated and i hope to see you in the next chapters too! Hope you enjoy this one though, Thanks for coming back!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light  
**

* * *

Chapter six - Moving House

* * *

Upon getting home that night, Carla noticed the eight answer phone messages on the receiver, and let out a long sigh, she started to play them.

"Hello, i am to understand that my granddaughter has recently died, and you are renting a house in my possession, i am planning on bulldozing the property and selling it to a housing company, i expect you out when your rent expires, at the end of the month, please take all the possessions you want to keep, as i will be putting them all in a skip otherwise, kind regards, Carolina Browers" the answering machine chortaled at her, Carla sighed, it would appear she would have to leave in the next three days, before the end of the month, it surprised Carla that Sammy had not told her about her grandmother, as she had told her the rest of her family was dead, she had simply believed her.

Carla didn't let this bother her, she got a shower and put her clothes on a short wash before shoving them in the tumble dryer for the night. She fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow, feeling completely exhausted.

* * *

When she arrived at Merlotte's the next day, Sam seemed very wary of her, giving her a wide birth, something which made Carla very confused.

Before her shift started, she cornered him in the bar.

"Hey Sam, can we have a quick talk in your office? i need to tell you something in private" Sam quickly nodded, a flash of terror crossing his eyes, something that Carla couldn't understand. She followed Sam into his office and closed the door behind her, meeting his eyes, he stood up straight staring right at her, he had his arms crossed in front of him, as if they were a defensive barrier.

"Jesus christ Sam, please can you chill out, you look like you think i'm going to rip your throat out" Carla exclaimed, Sam simply gulped nervously, to which Carla sighed.

"Listen, I'm losing my house on Thursday so if i can't get a place to stay before that, it looks like i am out of a job and out of town as well, so i thought i'd let you know you may need to get someone to replace me, even though it looks like Tara is good enough to take over my placement by herself, even if her personality is volitile"

"I saw you last night" Sam simply said.

Carla's eyes widened. "Umm... What do you mean by that?"

"I saw you, and Sookie, and the vampire, in the parking lot, last night, i saw what you did to Mack and Denise" Carla sighed, looking down at the ground.

"Is that all you saw?"

"No"

"What else?"

"I happened to follow you and that vamp when he took Sookie, i heard it all"

"Look, Sam, that was all an act, i have nothing to do with the vampire community, and i couldn't even kill a vampire if i tried, they are way to strong for me, the only advantage i have is that i am faster, i did that to protect Sookie, because she knows, i don't want my secret slipping from her lips into the mind of a vampire, otherwise i am well and truly dead"

Sam made a grunting sound, as if wondering whether to believe her.

"Sookie is not a thing to me, i am not like a vampire, everyone is special and Sookie especially, she isn't human, and vampires can tell, she in danger, and she deserves protection"

"Just, please don't get her killed, i couldn't live with myself if she died"

"It's okay Sam, i know how you feel about her, i will do everything in my power to make sure she is safe, i swear it"

Sam nodded, "I doubt she knows how i feel"

"I think she does, i just..."

Sam raised an eyebrow at her.

"I don't know Sam"

"It's fine, Paula, just go back to work, and thanks"

"For what?"

"For looking after Sookie" Sam smiled, and Carla left the office, closing the door behind her.

* * *

It was barely half way through dinner and Merlotte's was heaving with people, the waitresses barely stopped moving the whole night and as Terry Bellefleur was stocking up the drinks behind the bar it made it even more difficult to get around behind the bar.

Jane Bodehouse, a local widow was sat up at the bar, getting drunk and trying to find someone to take home for the night, which she usually never achieved. She was just finishing her drink before she pushed it toward Tara.

"Hey sugar, make mama another stinger would ya?"

Tara walked up to the bar and leaned on it, getting very uncomfortably close to the woman, Carla put down her cleaning towel and walked beside Tara before she started a long and aggressive lecture at the woman.

"Any particular drink you'd like Ms. Bodehouse?" Carla said, a smile on her face, she picked up the woman's cup and place it in the sink.

"Err, no, whatever you have that's nice and cheap" She replied, and Tara stepped back from the bar, giving Carla a dirty look.

"Bitch, what the hell you doing?"

"Tara, we're here to sell drinks, not to give life lessons" Carla answered, making the woman another drink.

"That's right Paula,and let's keep it that way" Sam said, coming to the bar to wipe something down. "By the way Tara i told you where you could buy your uniform"

"Sam, how come you don't wear a uniform?" Tara asked, trying to make a point.

"Because i own this place and i do what i want"

"Well how come Terry Bellefleur don't wear a uniform?"

Terry made a worried face, as if he didn't know how to answer that.

"I think Terry has spent enough time in a uniform" Carla cut in, giving Terry a smile while giving Jane her drink, and then going back to leaning against the bar. Terry smiled back at her,before going back to his work.

"No, because hes a man, and Sam don't feel the need to sexualize the men in his employment the same way he do the women" Tara said, looking at Sam and at Carla.

"Okay" Sam gave in. "You don't have to wear a uniform"

"Thank you" Tara said.

"Hey, does that mean i don't have to wear a uniform too?" Carla asked, a cheeky smile on her face.

"Yes, you have to wear a uniform"

"Huh, why?" Carla moaned.

"Cos you ain't as awkward as Tara, you'll do what i say" Sam grinned, walking back towards the kitchen. "Remind me why i hired you two again"

"Affirmative action" Tara said, making Terry chuckle.

* * *

Carla was completely zoned out running on auto pilot cleaning glasses when she heard Tara and Dawn speaking, though she was only half paying attention, they were talking about Jason. When Dawn walked away laughing, Carla turned to Tara, who walked away towards the till.

"You're way to obvious Tara" Carla said, and Tara shrugged.

Sookie came rushing through from the back. "God knows what happened to my tables" Suddenly the TV caught her attention, and she asked Tara to turn it up, which she did.

Carla looked up at the television, the headline read 'Anti-vampire activist killed in accident'.

The news anchor talked about the Reverend that preached anti-vampire agendas had been killed along with his wife and child in a high speed car pile up. It was very obvious that vampires were probably the blame, due to the nature of the crash. Carla sighed, and looked at Sookie, who met her gaze.

"Sam told me that you were losing you house soon, do you have a place to stay yet?"

"No, actually, i don't" Carla said, leaning against the bar.

"Well, i can speak to my gran and see if we can put you up in Jason's old room" Carla smiled at Sooke.

"Wow Sookie, really? That'd be great"

"Like i said, let me talk to my Gran and see what she says, but i'm sure she'll be fine with it"

"Thanks so much Sook"

"You're more than welcome" Sookie leaned in and whispered in Carla'a ear. "Best i can do for as repayment for last night" Sookie backed away and winked, and Carla smiled.

* * *

**The next day**

Sam had allowed Carla a day off to move her things into Sookie's, as her Grandmother had readily agreed to let her have Jason's old room, Sookie was now helping her up the stairs with the few boxes of her clothes and belongings which she wanted to keep, their plan was to unpack Carla's belongings while packing the last few of Jason's belongings which were still in the room and putting them up in the loft.

As they were unpacking and Mrs Stackhouse was downstairs in the kitchen preparing lunch, Sookie began to tell Carla about what went on last night when she went to visit Bill in his house.

She explained that there were three other vampires with him, along with two humans, Sookie had never seen these vampires and they were very different from Bill, they were opening feeding from the two humans that they had brought, referring to them as 'blood bags'.

Sookie seemed very unsure of whether she wanted to get involved in the vampire world.

"I mean, i could have been killed, even Bill said he wasn't as strong as on of the vampires there" Sookie complained, hanging up some of Carla's clothes in her wardrobe.

"Well, Sookie, no-ones forcing you to stay with him, it's completely your choice, but you can't judge a hole race of people by the actions of a few individuals, i mean, for example, Hitler was a terrible person, but just because of his actions, not all Germans are considered to be terrible" Carla said, placing Sammy's old alarm clock on the side along with a bottle of water.

"I know, I mean, my mind is telling me to leave, but my body, like the rest of me is telling me... different, and i don't know whether to listen to my head or..."

"Your heart"Carla frowned to herself, she knew what the girl meant, Carla herself had been in the same situation at one point in her life, and she was now doubting if her decision was the correct one to make.

"Well, give it a lot of thought, if you make the wrong decision you may end up regretting it" Carla added.

"I will" Sookie said, giving Carla a smile. "Well, welcome to your new home, you are more than welcome to it" Carla smile back.

"Hey, Sookie, i was wondering, why are you so... not frightened?" Carla asked.

"Of what?"

"Of me, you must know I've killed and i'm dangerous to be around, why don't you run a mile?"

"Who am i to be afraid of something out of the ordinary, i mean, i ain't exactly normal, and you didn't run a mile from me, i may not have killed anyone but i sure do scare people, i mean, who wants their deepest and darkest secrets known by anyone, i'm just returning the favor"

"Oh thank you Sookie"

"Don't thank me, thank my Gran, its her house after all"

"You two, lunch's ready!" Mrs Stackhouse called from downstairs, as if on queue.

* * *

After lunch Sookie said that she needed to go round Bill's, and she wanted to wait outside to speak with him, this made it apparent to Carla that she was going to make up with him, but she was fine with this, she too needed to speak to Bill, but it would have to be another day.

A few minutes after Sookie left, she called Carla on her mobile, to tell her that she would be back later than she thought, as Sam had asked her to check on Dawn, as she hadn't turned up for her shift.

Carla told her it was fine and went to tell her Grandmother, which was the reason Sookie had called Carla in the first place.

Though after Carla had told Mrs Stackhouse, she had a unsettled feeling in her gut and she simply couldn't concentrate on anything, so she decided to go to Dawn's house after Sookie, with the gathering feeling like something wasn't quite right.

* * *

When Carla arrived at Dawn's house she realized that indeed something what not as it should be. A lot of cars were parked outside Dawn's house, along with the sheriffs and Sookie's, Carla pulled her car up onto the verge and got out, she was wearing a pair of denim shorts and a tank top, though the temperature really didn't effect her.

Carla noticed Rene, Arlene, Hoyt and Maxine all standing out the front of Rene and Arlene's house, they were watching the front of the property like hawks, for the slightest hint of movement or insight into what was going on inside.

Carla wandered over towards them, hoping to get an explanation from them.

"Dawn's dead Paula" Arlene said, a frown on her face.

"Who's in there?" Carla asked, glancing at the house.

"Sookie and Jason Stackhouse" Maxine said, trying to get involved in the conversation.

"It must be the same person who killed Maudette and the Browers girl that did it" Rene added.

"And it can't be Jason" Hoyt added onto that.

"Well whoever it is i hope they fry the fuck" Rene cursed, to which Arlene turned and scolded him, causing him to apologize.

Carla tilted her head for a moment, looking at Rene, before she turned away to look at the commotion that had started up as someone was led from the house.

Jason was in cuffs and being led to the police car by Andy, the parish detective.

Sookie was out on the porch, watching them drag him away, Carla ducked under the police barricade, slipping on her sun glasses and heading over to Sookie. She looked shell shocked by what she had seen.

Carla pulled Sookie into a hug before sitting down next to her on the front steps of Dawn's house. They sat next to one another in silence for a moment, staring forward.

"I'm sorry you had to find her Sookie, that must have been terrible" Sookie shrugged.

"It was gonna be somebody"

"I suppose"

Sam then came sauntering over to the porch and leaned against the wooden beams that made up the guard rail next to them.

"I'm sorry Sook, that you had to find her, i should have come and checked on her myself"

"It's fine Sam, you had the bar to look after" Sam shrugged, also giving a brief nod.

"Do you think i should close the bar? Considering?"

"That'd only be denying people a stiff drink on the day they need it the most" Sookie said, "I know today's meant to be my day off and all, but the last thing i need right now is time alone with my thoughts"

"Have you finished unpacking Paula's belongings?" Sam questioned.

"Of course we have, after all, i don't have much of my own, if Sookie's coming in, i'll wait tables too, i can tell tonight's going to be a busy one, considering the circumstances" Carla answered.

Sam nodded, giving a sad smile.

"We'll need to stop by home and change and tell gran, considering all this business with Jason and the police, i think she should know from me"

Sam nodded, before one of the deputes from the sheriffs department requested a key from Sam, as he was the land lord of the housing estate that Dawn lived on. Sam promptly produced he keys and went with the deputy to search Dawn's storage unit.

As Sam left, the new coroners assistant asked if the two women could move so they could bring Dawn's body out in the large black body bag.

"Sookie, are you going to be okay?" Carla asked, following her closely.

"Carla, i'm going to be just fine, i just need to keep grinding along and not think about what's going on around me"

"I can understand that" Carla said, smiling the slightest bit at the edge of her lips.

Sookie smiled back and gave her another short hug, before getting in her car to drive back to her Gran's house.

* * *

When they got back to Sookie's Grandmother's house Sookie ran inside to talk to her Grandmother and Carla ran upstairs to get changed for her shift at Merlotte's, thinking it was only respectful to give the two their privacy.

Though unfortunately she could hear them from upstairs in her room without really trying, so as she got dressed, she listened to their entire conversation.

Sookie's Grandmother spoke in a hushed volume but this didn't change the ease at which they could be heard. The two spoke about the frequency of the murders and if the police turned over no suspects or culprits at the end of their investigation the town would turn to the only person with a motive and without and alibi, Jason.

Adele told Sookie to listen in on people, and see if she could learn anything about what was going on in the town and who the actually killer was. Adele told Sookie to try and clear her brother and prove he didn't commit a crime, that he wasn't a murderer.

Once the two had finished they conversation Carla got up from were she was sat on her bed and intercepted Sookie on the bottom floor of the house.

"I'll drive, wait in my car, i'll just get my keys, i left them in the kitchen after lunch"

Sookie smiled and nodded, heading out the front floor and letting it swing shut behind her.

Carla walked from the front hallway into the kitchen, though her keys were already in her pocket, she only wished to talk to Adele.

The old woman was stilled leaned over the kitchen sink, as if deep in thought.

Carla walked up to the woman and pulled off her glasses, revealing her eyes to the woman, Carla took her hand, and Adele saw what Sookie had seen when she had touched her.

"I'll protect her" Carla said, slipping her sunglasses back on, the old woman smiled in understanding.

"Thank you dear, thank you so much" Carla spun on her heel and strode out of the house, getting into the drivers side and set off to Merlotte's.

* * *

As the night wore on Carla started to regret coming in, the bar was so busy that there were barely spare seats for the customers that were coming in. Carla was looking after Dawn's section while Tara took the bar.

The night went very slowly, the only time it was broken up was when Sookie's brother Jason limped into the bar caked in sweat. Carla could smell the vampire blood being sweated out of his body, and it made her feel sick, apparently Jason was addicted to V now as well, now when should she drop this bombshell to Sookie.

Shortly after that, Vampire Bill came strolling in, and sat down in Sookie's section, of course. Arlene strode straight over to him, taking his order and then coming back to the bar where Carla was lent on the wood to give Tara the order.

"He wants O but give him A neg"

"We have plenty of both"

"I don't care, and i don't microwave it neither, he can have it cold"

"You are terrible"

Then Sookie came over to start a cat fight and Carla decided she needed a break.

"Sam, i need a break for a couple of minutes" Sam nodded and Carla wandered outside. Feeling the eyes of Bill on her, she wasn't sure why.

She stepped outside into the parking lot and took a deep breath of the cold night air, it was only early and there was still a whole load of hours before she got off for the night.

Suddenly the door to the bar opened and Sookie walked out dragging the vampire by his arm into the parking lot, probably to get some privacy, thankfully Sookie didn't notice Carla, so she silently listened in on the two.

They started talking about Dawn's murder and Jason being a suspect in the case, then the conversation turned to Sookie listening in on people, who Carla guessed meant she had been using her telepathy to listen to people inside the bar, something it was very foolish to tell a vampire about, it just put her in more danger.

Shortly after that the conversation turned to a vampire bar in Shreveport where the two most recent murder victims hung out. When Sookie mentioned this, Bill looked discouraged, and sighed.

"Fangtasia" Bill said, tilting his head to the side to look at Sookie.

"Fang-Tasia?" Sookie said, over pronouncing the syllables.

"You have to remember that most vampires are very old, puns used to be the highest form of humor"

"Well i was thinking if i went there i could do some sniffing around, you think maybe you could take me?"

"How about tonight?" Carla turned her head to look at the two now, Bill was staring right at her, with a smug look on his face, he was scheming, what was his plan?

"The sooner the better i just gotta tell Sam i'm leaving and run home and change"

The vampire had a look on his face like a predator dangling a tasty morsel right in front of his open jaws for Carla to try and snatch.

"I'll meet you there" Bill said, now looking at Sookie again.

"Bill, i'm asking you this as a friend, this isn't a date"

"No, it's not a date" Carla said walking over to Sookie, and taking Bill's bait. "Because i'm coming with you"

"Fine" Bill said, with a false seriousness on his face.

"Let's go" Carla said, walking back into the bar to tell Sam that the two of them were leaving. Sam wasn't happy, but there wasn't much he could say considering the two of them were meant to be off for the day anyway, so he let them go without lecture or warning. Partly because he didn't have a chance to say anything before Carla dragged Sookie out of the bar and into the car.

* * *

When they arrived back home Carla pulled herself out of the car and strode into the house, she hadn't said a word to Sookie on the way back and now she still didn't say a word, she was still desperately trying to work out why Bill was so interested in getting her to come. He never said he wanted her to come, but she knew by the look in his eye and the way he was speaking to Sookie as well as speaking to her, over Sookie's shoulder.

There was something wrong, very wrong.

* * *

**I know, two chapters in one day! At the moment i a well ahead into the second season of True blood with what i have written, so i thought i better start releasing these chapters a little faster, Thanks again for reading, next chapter will be a good one, or i hope you think so! Thanks for the support and i hope you enjoy reading as much as i enjoy writing! Until next time,**

**-Shad out :)**


	7. Investigating

**Welcome back, I really hope you enjoy this chapter! I couldn't wait to write this one! Thanks for coming back and i hope you like it! ^^**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light  
**

* * *

Chapter seven - Investigating

* * *

Carla pulled on a pair of black jeans and a black tank top, she didn't have any make up to put on, so she simply pulled on a leather jacket and rammed one of the only pictures of Sammy she still had into her pocket along with her purse. She headed down stairs, only to find the hallway empty as Sookie was still putting on her clothes and makeup.

A few minutes later Sookie came rushing down the stairs as if she was late for something. Carla stood up straight and went to grab the door knob.

"Wait a second, i need to ask you something" Sookie said, and Carla turned around to face her.

"What is it?" Carla asked.

"Why did you want to come?"

"Because i want to find out if any of them had seen Sammy hanging around that bar, she was one of the murdered girls too you know"

"Alright then, just, be nice to Bill, he's actually a really nice guy when you get to know him"

"I'm sure" Carla wasn't so sure about that. "I'll be civil, i'm not like Arlene or Sam" Sookie smiled and nodded.

The glare of Bill's headlights came in through the porch windows and they both went out to meet him.

* * *

Soon they were all in the car driving towards Shreveport. It was completely silent and no one said much.

"Penny for your thoughts" Sookie said, glancing over at Bill, who was driving.

"I thought you liked not knowing what i'm thinking?"

"Most of the time i do"

Bill kept glancing over at Sookie and looking her up and down, she was wearing a rather showy white sundress with red flowers all over.

"You won't care for it"

"Doesn't mean i don't want to hear it"

"You look like vampire bait"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Sookie asked, laughing.

"What he means is that when you walk into that bar it's going to be very difficult for any vampire not to notice you, you stand out" Carla cut in, her eyes watching the trees at the side of the road as they flew by the car. Bill nodded in agreement.

"Or are you saying you think i look nice?" Sookie asked.

"Doesn't matter what i think, this isn't a date, remember?" Bill went back to focusing on driving, leaving Sookie slightly disheartened.

* * *

Soon after that Bill parked up, and they all got out, Bill lead them to the entrance of the bar, which had a glowing pink sign on the door reading 'Fangtasia'. All three of them went in in a line, Bill put his arm around Sookie and pulled her close to him, as if to protect her.

Just past the entrance was a tall blonde vampire in leathers, her hair pulled back into a bun behind her head, she had an ornate black necklace on with blood red lipstick.

"Bill, haven't seen you in a while"

"I'm mainstreaming"

"Good for you, who are the dolls?"

"Pam, i'd like you to meet Sookie" Bill indicated toward Sookie. "And..."

"Paula" Carla introduced herself, as Bill did on know her name.

"Pleased to meet you" Sookie said, offering her hand to Pam, who simply looked down at it, not taking it.

"Can i see some ID?" Carla handed her purse to the vampire at lightening speed. Pam took it and looked down at her drivers licence. Sookie offered hers too, and Pam took that as well, studying them both. "I can no longer tell human ages, we must be sure we serve no minors, in any capacity" Pam informed them.

Pam handed back their purses and let them by, Carla scanned the bar for any familiar faces, following the two who were in front of her, heading for the bar.

"Let me buy us a drink" Bill said when they arrived.

"Bill, how's it going?" The bar tender said, heading to where they stood to serve them.

"Very well thank you" Bill replied.

"I'll say are these your meals for tonight?"

"These are my friends Paula and Sookie, this is Longshadow"

"Nice to meet you" Sookie said, sounding innocent.

"I'm not so happy" Carla said, leaning on the bar now, looking at Longshadow, sure that she did not recognize anyone in the bar.

Longshadow stared at Carla in silence for a long moment, analyzing her, before Sookie broke the silence.

"I'll have a gin and tonic please"

"And an O negitive" followed up.

"Nothing for me" Carla finished.

"Longshadow, Sookie would like to ask you some questions, is this acceptable?" The vampire showed no rejection.

"Have you seen either of these women here before?" Sookie asked, pulling out two photos. One was f Dawn, and the other Carla guessed was Maudette, another one of the victims.

Carla pulled out her own picture and handed it to Sookie, so she could show them to Longshadow.

"These two I've seen in here before, but not this one" he said, pointing at the picture of Sammy.

"Thank you, and do you happen to know who they used to hang around with?" Sookie asked.

"That's not something we notice around here, you won't either" Longshadow replied.

"Okay, well thank you for your time, i really appreciate it"

"This one" Long shadow pointed to the pickture of Maudette. "She wanted to die"

"Well how do you know that?" Sookie raised an eyebrow.

"Everyone who comes here does, in there own way, that's what we are, death" Longshadow finished by putting the drinks on the bar and pushing them towards the two, Sookie picked up the pictures and put them away, and then her drink.

"Thanks" Carla said, turning away from the bar to find a seat, the two followed her.

Carla chose a high table with stools, sitting with her back to the wall so she could survey the whole bar.

The two sat down and took sips of their drinks.

"How's you drink?" Bill asked, speaking to Sookie.

"A gin and tonics and gin a tonic no matter where you drink it, really" She smiled.

"I know what you mean" Bill replied, smiling back at her.

Sookie and Carla's eyes were drawn to the same person almost at the same time, a vampire was sat on some sort of throne on an elevated platform in the corner of the room, he sat alone, the throne he was on was old and wooden and was carved with jewels and engravings.

He was slouched and staring forward at nothing with a bored look on his face. He had long, slender legs, with a wide torso and long blonde hair, down to his shoulders. His leather trousers were well fitted and not too tight, also wearing a black shirt and leather jacket, he looked as if he was not quite there.

"Who's that?" Sookie asked.

"Oh, you noticed him did you?" Bill asked, pretending to be jealous.

"No, it's not like that-"

"Everyone does" Bill said, smiling. "That's Eric, he's about the oldest thing in here"

As Bill was talking, a balding man in a suit without the jacket climbed onto Eric's stage of sorts, and touched his leg. Instantly he was kicked away and landed in a pool of broken glass with a nasty looking head wound. Most of the vampires in the bar drew their fangs, but a women in a tight leather costume picked up the man, her fangs very obvious, she lead the man away from the bar, into the bathrooms.

Sookie looked nervous, but Carla gave her a reassuring look.

After a few moments of silence between them, Bill spoke up.

"Have you been able to hear anything?"

"Anything anyone's thinking about in here is sex, sex, sex"

"Well i think you can tell that just by looking" Carla said, winking at Sookie.

Shortly after that, Carla noticed movement out of the corner of her eye up on the stage, the vampire who'd ID'd them at the door was now next to Eric, whispering something in his ear.

Eric turned his head and met Carla's dark brown, black rimmed eyes with his icy blue ones, she looked away quickly, down at the table in front of her.

"Shit" Carla said, and Bill looked up to see what had startled her.

"Shit? what do you mean shit?" Sookie asked, sounding worried.

"Eric's just taken a liking to us"

"He's going to summon us" Bill said, and all three of them looked at the vampire. He beckoned them towards him.

Bill took Sookie's hand, and then offered one to Carla, as if offering his protection, Carla shook her head.

"I think i can handle this, Bill." She got up and lead the two towards the stage.

"Bill Compton, it has been a while" Eric sounded barely interested.

"Yes, well... I've been-"

"Mainstreaming" Eric finished Bill's sentence, saying the word with particular disgust as if it was a vile, forbidden thing that he didn't like to speak of. "I heard" He gave Bill a sarcastic look, and Carla could almost feel the anger radiating from Bill. He then moved his gaze to Sookie and Carla. "I see that is going well for you" Sarcasm almost flowing from his words.

"Uh, yes, of course, Eric this is my friend-" Bill started again, trying to keep his cool.

"Sookie Stackhouse" Eric broke him off again.

"How do you know my name?" Sookie asked, and Carla nudged her, as if to tell her to stop asking stupid questions.

"I never forget a pretty face... you're in my vault" Pam said, with a certain sweetness in her voice.

"Well... that's just great" Sookie said with false optimism.

"It's nice to meet you"

"Well aren't you sweet"

"Not really" Carla nudged Sookie again, warning her.

"And Paula Bambridge" Carla nodded, an intense stare on her face, looking straight into Eric's eyes.

"Well it's good to know i have my place in the vault too" Carla said, putting one hand on her hip and giving a smile to Pam. Who gave her a wink back.

Eric chuckled "Vår lilla djurpark börjar växa" (Our little animal park is beginning to grow) Eric addressed Pam over his shoulder.

"Jag vet" (I know) Pam replied, with a smile.

"Hur exotiska arter har blivit" (How exotic the species have become) Carla replied, which caused both of the vampires to look at her, to which she gave a sly smile.

"I understand that you have been asking questions about some of my customers" Eric said, looking at Carla still but addressing Sookie.

"Yes i have" She agreed.

"If you have anything to ask, you should ask it of me" Eric said, finally looking away from Carla at Sookie.

"Alrighty" Sookie pulled the three photos out of her bag, "You recognize any of these girls?" She handed the pictures to Eric.

He took them and grunted, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.

"This one offered herself to me, but i thought her too pathetic for my attentions" He was pointing at the picture of Maudette, Carla narrowed her eyes at the man, as if trying to read his mind. Eric pretended not to notice.

"Now, this one, however, i have tasted" He let out a sigh as if he was proud, this was Dawn's picture.

"And finally, i haven't seen this girl in here before" Eric looked up, handing the pictures back to Sookie.

"I remember them all" Pam added.

"Are they also in the vault?" Carla quickly cut in, before Sookie could say anything stupid.

"Never had those two, they weren't really my type, and the third one, i saw her hanging around outside the bar once or twice, she never came in though" Carla nodded.

"Well... Thank you very much, that's all of your time i need to be taking" Sookie said, desperate to get away.

"I'm not finished with you yet" Eric said, authority thick in his voice.

"On the contry, i think you are" Sookie snapped back.

Eric stood up from his chair in his unnatural speed, and Carla stood in front of Sookie, Bill stepped forward to protect her too.

Carla had fire in her eyes and she threatened the tall vampire right them, her mouth was dead straight and he didn't try to get any closer to Sookie, he simply stood there, and they continued to fight one another with their eyes.

"Please, sit" Eric offered, indicating the chairs next to his throne, but he didn't break eye contact with Carla, who was still threatening him.

"No, thank you, i think we should be going now" Carla said, the aggression in her voice was like a wrecking ball impacting into the side of a building, heavy and meaningful.

"Bill, may i ask if you are very attached to your two friends"

"Sookie is mine" Bill said, a husky growl in his voice.

"And i'm not interested" Carla said, tilting her head to the side slightly, curling her hands into fists.

"Well, what a pity... for me" Eric said, still not packing down.

"Bill, Carla, we need to leave" Sookie said suddenly, with great urgency.

"I can see that Sookie" Carla said, not breaking eye contact.

"Eric, the cops are coming there's going to be a riot" Eric drew his fangs, glancing at Sookie and then back to Carla.

"Tell me you're not an undercover cop"

"We aren't" Carla said through gritted teeth.

"But that man in the hat is!" Sookie added, indicating to one of the men in the crowd.

"Even if you're right we do nothing illegal here" Eric said, trying to remain calm.

"Except from maybe public feeding, i'm pretty sure that man you kicked earlier and that vamp that led him away are carrying out just that offence in the mens bathrooms right now" Carla said, a smile caressing the edges of her lips.

"How do you know this?" Pam asked.

Sookie glanced over at Bill, who looked back her her and shook his head.

"Police! Police! Police!" A man started yelling, scattering the people who were at the bar and on the dance floor.

Eric looked away and broke eye contact, and strode down from the platform. "Follow me" he ordered.

They ran out the back door of the bar, Carla was right behind Eric, and she pulled off her shirt as quick as she could, she wouldn't have time to do the rest.

"You take Sookie, i'll find my own way!" Carla jumped on a dumpster and then on to the roof of a low building across from the bar, she was convinced that the vampires would be gone now, so she transformed effortlessly and ran towards the trees that led back to Bon Temps.

Her cheetah form had rather inconspicuous bright white fur that made her stick out like a sore thumb in the darkness, but there was no other way she would escape the police, being caught in a vampire bar would not be the best place to be caught at after a police raid.

Once Carla fell in to the rhythmic movement of her paws as they propelled her along at a high speed towards home, she started to hear the well known swooshing sound from behind her of a vampire running at their supernatural speed, she glanced of course for one moment, and looked back, seeing a blurred tall form behind her, catching up.

Shit, she thought.

She pushed her muscles to go faster, going right to the limit, she knew she must be almost home by now, and when she saw the form of the house through the trees ahead, she knew she was almost safe. But there was the ever approaching sound of the vampire behind her, whoever it was, but she was pretty sure of who it might be.

She crashed into the clearing that made up the garden of the Stackhouse house, catching her arm on an outstretched branch of an old sturdy tree, making a deep gash in her shoulder, though she did not stop, and barely made it through the door before the vampire was on her.

Of course, it was Eric, who was stood just outside the door way, looking down on her. She had morphed back into her human form, and instinctively grabbed the closest thing to her that was wooden, which happened to be a piece of the stairs banister.

"What the fuck do you want fanger?" Sweat was trailing down Carla's forehead and her muscles ached as if she'd pulled all of them at the exact same moment, blood was making a road down her arm and dripping onto the wooden floor of the hallway.

"What are you?" Eric asked, pacing outside the door like a caged animal.

"None of your damn business, now if you please, can you get the fuck off my property" Eric laughed.

"I love it when they fight, nothing fun when they just give in"

Carla stood up, walking over to the door, portion of wooden banister in hand.

"Don't make me kill you, because trust me, i will"

"God you smell delicious" Eric's expression suddenly went serious, it was obvious what mind games he had decided to try now, glamour.

"Won't you invite me in, Paula?" This time, Carla laughed.

"Doesn't work on me, i'm afraid, poor little vampire, now, if i were you, i'd leave, before i put this wood right through your chest"

"Empty threats will get you nowhere, i will have Sookie"

"I'll die first"

"So be it"

"And i'll take you with me"

"I doubt that"

"Let's see then"

Again they both stared intensely at one another. But Eric suddenly backed down.

"Good night, Paula Bambridge, we will meet again, i am sure of it"

"I count on it"

"As do i" And within a second, he was gone.

Carla slammed the door shut, and leaned her back against it, falling down into a sitting position.

"Holy grapes, what has happened to you dear?" Adele Stackhouse came rushing down the stairs, or at the pace that woul be considering rushing for someone of her age.

"We had some trouble at that vampire bar, it was raided by the police, i assure you we were doing nothing wrong, but you know how the police feel about vampires no a days, and Sookie's safe, i made sure she got out before me, Bill's driving her home i suspect"

"Well i'll be damned, what a night, how did you do that there" She indicated toward Carla's arm, which was bleeding quite a lot.

"Oh... i tripped and fell, i must have cut myself" thankfully Carla's clothes had appeared back on her once she transformed back, so she was not completely naked in the hallway. Adele helped her up and took her to the kitchen, where she got her first aid kit out, and started to patch Carla up.

Now Carla understood why Bill had wanted her to come tonight. Now she was in deep trouble.

* * *

**How'd you guys like that! Please review! I really want to know what you think about Carla's first encounter with Eric! Anyway, i will be updating again soon (hopefully), looking forward to seeing you guys back in the next one (again... hopefully ;)) Thanks for reading, and see you soon!**

**-Shad out **


	8. Yet Another Murder

**Welcome back! Good to see you are back for another dose, and i hope you enjoy it! I may start skipping up and coming episodes of True blood due to the sake of cutting out boring stuff that no-one wants to read, that means there'll be more content and less so called non-content. Anywho, thanks for taking the time to read this, enjoy!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light  
**

* * *

Chapter eight - Yet Another Murder

* * *

The next morning, Carla wandered downstairs half asleep, to sit at the dining table, Adele was stood at the stove, on the phone, so Carla tried to be as quiet as possible to not interrupt their conversation.

Last night Adele had bandaged and disinfected the wound on Carla'a arm, after pulling out lots of sprinters and wooden shards, not that it would make any difference, the woman's wounds would heal almost instantly in the sun light, disinfected or not. Shortly after she had finished the two had heard commotion from the front porch, and knew instantly that it was Bill and Sookie, and Carla went to get up and find out what the problem was, but Adele stopped her.

She told Carla to let them sort it out themselves, and she believed that Bill would not harm Sookie, Carla was surprised by her trustworthiness.

When the voices died down and the front door slammed shut, Sookie came striding through into the kitchen, and looked at the two.

She interrogated them about what they heard, but indeed neither of them knew what the couple had been talking about as they were too far away. Adele went up to bed shortly after that and Carla followed, with Sookie going up last.

"I suggest you hear what he has to say before you take to lynching him" Sookie's grandmother said, pulling Carla back into the present.

Carla looked at the back of the woman, who still hadn't notice she had come downstairs.

But the sound of Sookie walking into the kitchen made her change her tone and subject of conversation.

"Well, i will be at the church early, if you want to say hi, Mr Comptons talk starts at eight" Carla now knew what the conversation was about.

"Okay same to you, bye now" Adele put the phone down, coming to put a fired egg on everyone's plate.

"Phone's been ringing early today" Sookie said.

"Well, everyone's excited about meeting the town vampire tonight" Adele said, with a smile. "What was all that noise last night about?" Adele asked, putting the pan back on the stove.

"Am i that much of a lost cause that you're pinning all your hopes on a vampire"

"Well he seems like a very nice man"

"Well he's not"

"He's not nice?"

"Or a man"

"Oh goodness did you two have a fight?"

"Sounded like it from what i heard" Carla said, glancing up from her breakfast to Sookie, who shot daggers at her.

"No, actually, well, kinda... i don't think Bill and I have much in common, he doesn't think like we do, he doesn't feel like we do, if he feels at all"

"Well, i know that if i had a chance to know somebody who'd experienced the world differently i'd see it as a blessing and not something to be scared of... or hate" Adele told Sookie, then the phone started ringing.

"I don't hate him" Sookie said, shaking her head, "I just don't wanna be his girlfriend" Sookie took a sip of her orange juice. "Gran, the phone's ringing"

Carla stretched her hand out indicating Adele should give it to her. She handed it over and Carla pressed the hang up button, and it stopped ringing.

"The machine can pick it up" Carla said, going back to her breakfast.

* * *

Work went by without a hitch, everyone in the bar was talking about the Descendants of the glorious dead meeting in the church that night which would be attended by Bill, as he took part in the american civil war, he was going to do a talk on it and his experiences. Carla was able to work due to the sun being strong, her wound healed up in a matter of hours and only Sookie seemed to notice, though she was unsurprised.

Carla wasn't going, however, because she was going to watch the house while Sookie and Adele went to the meeting, as Adele had arranged it and Sookie was going to please her grandmother. The house would be empty for a few hours and Adele was worried, so Carla had agreed to stay home and look after the place.

Carla got home just as it was getting dark, she was looking down at her feet as she reached into her bag to get the front door keys, the familiar yet worrying swooshing sound caught her attention, she froze half way up the porch steps, and slowly raised her eyes to meet that of the vampire on the porch.

Eric was standing in front of the door, looking down at her, with a huge, triumphant smile on his face.

"Good evening, Paula" He said in a cheery tone, stepping towards her.

Carla responded by taking a step back.

"What are you doing here?" Carla asked, trying to ignore the growing fear at the back of her mind that threatened to overcome her.

The route to the front door was blocked by a very old, dangerous and inquisitive vampire, and she wouldn't be fast enough to get by him, unless she transformed, which, after last night, she simply did not have the energy to do.

"You didn't answer my question last night, so i thought i'd come back to ask you again, What exactly are you?"

"You know, curiosity is a dangerous thing, it killed the cat, so they say, maybe it'll kill you too"

"Are you threatening me?" Eric asked, grinning like a cheshire cat at her, which she found rather funny, considering her last sentence.

"Maybe, it depends how you look at it, i suppose, i mean, i could be warning you"

"Tell me... Why do you protect Sookie?"

"Tell me, why is it your business?"

"Because i made it my business"

"I think i'll be the one to decide what's your business and what isn't" Eric drew his fangs at that, as a warning, Carla prevented her body from showing any other emotion but completely stoic.

"You do realize i could drain you dry of every drop of your precious blood in a matter of seconds" Eric leaned back against the front door of the house.

"Just. Fucking. Try." Carla taunted, walking up the porch steps so she was fully on the porch, staring intently at the vampire.

Before she could blink her back was slammed against the door frame where Eric had been leaning, and Eric was pinning her shoulder against the wood with one hand, while pulling her head, by her hair, to the side, so he had easy access to her neck.

"Boom... you're dead" Eric said mockingly into her ear, his face right next to hers.

"So are you" Carla snarled back, Eric moved his face farther back to look down at the shard of wood clutched in Carla's hand, her makeshift stake that she had put in her handbag just in case of this sort of situation, it was pressed rather heavily against his exposed chest, where the jacket he was wearing wasn't buttoned up completely.

Eric laughed and stepped back away from her, saluting her and withdrawing his fangs before disappearing into the night almost as quickly as he had appeared.

Carla quickly got through the front door and slammed it behind her, taking deep relaxing breaths.

Thank god that was over, she thought.

* * *

"I'm at that little coffee shop in town, and you please drive down and get me? You know where i mean right?" Sookie almost shouted down the phone, sounding angry and frustrated.

"Yes Sookie, it's fine, i'll come out and pick you up, have you seen your gran? She isn't home yet"

"She said she was going to go and do some shopping before she got home, so that's probably why, just lock up the house with my keys before you leave, gran has a set, she can let herself in when she gets back"

"Alright then, see you in a bit"

"Yep, bye" Sookie almost threw the phone back onto the receiver.

Carla quickly locked the back and the front door, before grabbing her car keys and heading to her car.

Suddenly Bill appeared, coming out of vamp speed a few steps away from Carla, who wasn't surprised.

"What is it Bill?" Carla asked, unlocking her car and opening the drivers side door.

"Is Sookie back yet?" He asked.

"No, i am about to go and get her, come back later"

"I'll wait in the house, is her grandmother home?"

"No, she is out, do not wait on the porch, just go back home until we get back, thanks" Carla got into her car and pulled the door shut, starting the engine and backing out of the drive way without another word, while Bill stood there watching her leave, Carla pretended not to notice.

* * *

Carla pulled up the drive way about half an hour later, with Sookie in the passenger seat, apparently Sam had tried to get it off with her, and she wasn't comfortable with him trying anything this early in the relationship, specially just after Bill, which was understandable.

Carla was trying to listen to what her friend was saying, but was constantly detracted by the feeling of being watched as they got out of the car, she had that same feeling, like something was desperately wrong.

Sookie led the way to the back door, she noted that Sookie's car was in the drive way, so Gran must have been back, Sookie strode into the back door, and Carla ran after her, fearing the worst.

Suddenly she heard a scream from the kitchen.

"SOOKIE!" Carla ran through the back door and saw what Sookie was looking down at, the body of her Grandmother was laying in a huge pool of blood, and she was deathly pale, Carla pulled her face away from it.

"Sookie, don't look, it's me, don't worry" Carla hugged Sookie against her, she was fully in shock, and looked like she might pass out.

Bill then appeared from behind them, looking down at the scene. "Sookie" he said, and she opened her eyes to look at the man.

All of them heard the loud creak of the front porch steps, and the sound of the front door being pushed open, Bill used his supernatural speed to intercept the intruder before he could become a threat.

Carla and Sookie followed him around the corner of the kitchen and into the lounge. Bill had Sam pinned against the wall.

"Get you fucking hands off me!" He yelled in Bills face.

"What are you doing here?" Bill growled, his fangs exposed.

"I was making sure Sookie got home safe, the door was open!" Sam said, while choking.

"What are you doing here?" Sam asked.

"Bill, it's okay, let him go" Sookie said, starting to shake.

Bill retracted his fangs and released him.

"Sookie?" Sam said, spotting the blood on the woman's knees, shins and feet.

"What happened?" Sam said, looking between the three of them.

"Gran's... dead" Sookie said, as if she didn't believe herself.

Carla frowned, and put her around around Sookie's shoulders, and she buried her face in her shoulder, not sobbing, just shaking, feeling numb.

* * *

Within about an hour the sheriff, detective, coroner and his assistant were all out and in the kitchen, inspecting the body.

Sookie looked completely neutral, as if she didn't know what to fell or think, she just kept staring straight at them, her guard was probably down, and she could hear all of the thoughts, rushing at her from all directions.

Sam got her a blanket and wrapped it around her, and Carla sat on the floor next to the chair she was sat in, and held her hand, so the other voices were blanked out, Carla smiled and looked at Sookie, who was now looking back at her, she told her via her telepathy that she was sorry, and that if there was anything she could do for Sookie, Sookie only needed to ask.

Sookie nodded, and stood up.

"I need to get some air" She told Sam, who followed her out of the house.

Carla stood up and went to find Bill, she found him in one of the upstairs room, she assumed it was Sookie's, he was standing by the window.

"So, any idea who did this?" Carla asked, startling Bill, who turned around to face her.

"Not really, though it could have been you?" Bill cocked his head to the side, smiling.

"Just as it could be you, Adele let me into her home, she gave me a place to stay, she was very kind, and i would never do that to Sookie, why would i have any want or reason to kill her?" Bill shrugged. "I would say it was you, but a vampire wouldn't need to get in through the window, or kill her with a knife, now would they, unless of course it's an ingenious cover up" Carla narrowed her eyes.

"Maybe" Bill said, strolling towards Carla. "Had a good time with Eric?"

"Well, he's really quite troublesome, and anyway, you have put Sookie in danger as well, he was asking about her tonight" Bill looked surprised, and slightly angry. "You're not really very good at holding up your end of the bargain"

Sam walked into the room, and looked at the two. "Bill, she's asking for you"

"There something you wanna say to me?" Bill asked, looking at Sam.

"I want you to leave Sookie alone"

"Sookie doesn't much like people taking away her independence"

"You don't have to tell me who Sookie is, I've known for a long time"

"Then you'll know that this is not the time nor the place to start marking your territory"

"There's a woman lying dead downstairs, she wouldn't be there if it weren't for you" Sam stepped closer to Bill, trying to look intimidating. "If anything happens to Sookie, i'll be sharpening a stake with your name on it"

"Oh that's what i'm already planning" Carla cut in, walking out of the room and down to the lounge, to see what progress the law had made.

The coroner and his assistant were still checking the body, while the sheriff and detective were talking in the hall way.

Carla walked towards them. "Anything you need to ask me?" She gave a smile, trying to be polite.

"Uh, yeah, what where you doing in the hours leading up to the murder?" Andy Bellefleur asked, the parish detective.

"Well i was watching the house for Adele while she was at the DGD meeting, she didn't arrive home before i got a call from Sookie to ask me to come and pick her up from a coffee shop in Bon Temps, so i locked the house up and went to go and pick her up, when i came back, Sookie's car was in the drive, so i assumed Adele had gotten back while we were gone, when we went into the house, this is what we found"

Budd and Andy nodded, and Andy wrote a note in his notebook.

"Can anyone prove that?" Budd asked, narrowing an eye at the girl. Carla returned his gaze.

"Yes actually, Vampire Bill came over to ask if Sookie was home yet, i think he may have thought my car was hers after i pulled up, and came to ask, this was when i was about to go out and get Sookie, i asked him to come back later" Again, simultaneous nodding.

"Okay, that's all we need to know, thank you" Carla nodded, with a smile, and walked out to see if Sookie was okay. She was sitting on the top step of the porch, the blanket still around her.

"Is everything okay?" Sookie asked, standing up to meet Carla. Carla nodded, and rubbed Sookie's arm.

"Yes, they're just asking Bill a few questions and then i think they'll be moving Adele" Sookie looked down at her feet, zoning out. Carla pulled her into another hug, trying to reassure her.

About fifteen minutes later, Bill walked out and moved Sookie away from the door, saying that they were about to move Sookie's grandmother.

Once the police had removed the body, they told Sookie that she should probably stay with a friend for the night, or at least somewhere that was less isolated, but Sookie refused.

"I'm not leaving my home, not in the state it is, Gran took a lot of pride in her home, it'd be wrong to leave it in such a state" Sookie complained.

"Well, you call us at the slightest sign of anything then" Budd said, before leaving with the rest of the sheriffs department.

"I'm more tan safe out here, i have you three to protect me" Sookie smiled ever so slightly.

"Sookie... I have to go" Bill reminded her, as it would soon be dawn.

"Of course... but i'm sure Carla can protect me during the day, as well as Sam" Carla nodded, giving her a smile. "I'll be fine"

"Very well, Good night Sookie" Bill said goodbye, telling Sookie that he would come back tomorrow night, before leaving.

"There's an extra mop round back, do you mind getting it Sam?"

"Of course not, i'll be right back" Sookie gave a half hearted smile, and headed inside, with Carla behind her.

* * *

Sookie, Carla and Sam spent the rest of the night cleaning up the blood on the kitchen floor and cabinets, as it got to dawn, people began arriving to give their condolences to Sookie about her Grandmother, the day went by terribly slowly, at one point Jason came storming into the house and up the stairs, Carla followed him, seeing he was in a state, and he might do something he would regret later.

Jason hit Sookie across the face, and Tara started yelling at him, telling him to get out. So Carla grabbed Jason by the arm and pulled him out of the house, telling him to leave. He stunk of vampire blood and Carla knew he was suffering the withdrawal symptoms of V.

Bill came to watch over Sookie for the night, he stood outside and watched the house with a bottle of Tru blood in hand.

The next day they had the funeral, which Carla didn't attend, as Carla barely knew Adele, and din't feel like it was her place. She stayed in the house most of the day, thinking of who the murderer could be, but no matter how much she thought about it, she couldn't work out who it might be.

* * *

**Sorry about the crappy ending, i didn't really want to get my OC involved with Sookie while she is grieving, i just don't think it's her place, she barely knew Adele compared to Sookie, and the other characters, so i think it's right that i left her out of it, Carla was there when Sookie needed her, and that's all that matters in my eyes. Anyway, thanks for reading and i hope you enjoyed this chapter! See you next time, i hope! Feel free to review if you think i should have done something differently or have an opinion to share, i appreciate the input! Until next time, **

**-Shad out**


	9. Vampire Trouble at Merlotte's

**Welcome back, good to see you! Thanks for coming back to read some more! I hope you enjoy this chapter, eventhough it is a little short, i will explain why it will be a little short at the end of the chapter, but at least this chapter is a little action packed. Enjoy reading! :)**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light  
**

* * *

Chapter nine - Vampire Trouble at Merlotte's

* * *

Next time Carla saw Sookie was at Merlotte's the next night, where she seemed very happy, considering.

Carla was bar tending tonight, as Tara called and said she wasn't coming in, so there were only two waitresses.

Carla was in the middle of filling up another pitcher of bud when she heard Sookie and Arlene talking next to her.

She wasn't very interested in what they were talking about, and so she ignored them. She was too busy thinking about who was the murderer, she simply couldn't allow the killings to go on, she needed to find out who was responsible, especially considering that they were now targeting Sookie.

Carla was snapped out of her thoughts by Arlene whispering urgently at her.

"Sookie's been with that vampire!"

"Dat's just bar talk" Rene said, nursing a bear at the bar.

"She told me herself! God what if she's pregnant! How's she going to nurse a baby with fangs"

Sam flung his dish town down onto the bar, his anger was tangible in the air, he rushed over to Sookie and yanked the white scarf with polka dots on it away from her throat, revealing her bite marks.

"Get off me Sam Merlotte you have no right to touch me!" She screamed at him.

"You're a stupid girl, you know that?"

"What i do out of hours has nothing to do with you! And yes, i had sex with Bill, and since all of you are too chicken to ask, it was great, and if you have a problem with that, you can just fire me!" Sookie rushed off into the back after slamming her tray into Sam's chest, who turned to follow her.

"Sam" Carla said, leaning on the bar. "Leave her"

* * *

Later in the evening, just as Carla was coming back from the bathrooms, she noted the completely silence that had fell over the once busy bar, she only heard two voices.

"Discrimination against vampires is punishable by law in the great state of Louisiana, personally, i don't get a fuck, but i, am, thirsty"

Carla came round the corner and saw that three vampires had entered the bar.

"This isn't discrimination against vampires, this is discrimination against you" Carla butted in, walking up behind the vampire, next to Sookie, her hands on her hips.

"Plus, you are not welcome here" Sam added.

The female vampire laughed "That shit only works in a private home" She was holding one of the men in the bar by the neck.

The male vampire turned around and gasped over dramatically, he was looking at Sookie. "How nice to see you again Sookie!" He wandered over towards her, along with the female vampire. "You are looking delectable as always"

"You know them?" Sam asked.

"We've met"

"Well well, it looks like little miss hold out has given up the goods" the vampire said, glancing at Sookie's bite wound. "Brava! Did he leave enough for the rest of us?"

"I am his" Sookie said.

"Well... he is not here is he, and while Bill's away, Malcolm will always play!" Carla stood between the vampire and Sookie, giving him an intense stare.

"Well then, let's play" Carla said, slowly balling her hands into fists.

"Don't you ever think that i'd have anything to do with you, i bet you were trash when you were alive and now you're just dead trash!" Sookie yelled, pushing the vampire away.

"I'm going to drain you so slowly you're going to beg me to kill you" Malcolm said, he hateful smile on his face.

Terry then yelled and ran at the vampire, who easily flung him aside.

Sam cracked a pool cue over his leg to make a make shift stake.

"You are a dead man" Malcolm said, pointing to Sam.

"Maybe, but i'm gonna take one of you with me" Sam threatened, running at the vampire, but had the tall muscular vampire, the third of the group, disarm him and pin him to the bar.

Carla intervened, yanking the vampire's hand back hard enough to dislocate his shoulder, causing him to cry out in pain, she yanked him away from the bar and onto the ground, leaving him to writhe in pain, turning to the other two.

"I hate to hit women, but unfortunately, you've pissed me off" Malcolm said, and Carla smiled.

"Let's dance you dead fuck" she growled.

"Stop this! Now!" Bill yelled, arriving in the bar.

Carla stepped back, helping Sam to move away from the vampires, he said he was okay, so she went to help Terry.

"You're here for me, not for them" Bill said, addressing Malcolm.

"Well we had to get your attention, and i do believe it worked" he replied.

"What do you want?"

"You never called me back, now if i remembered what feeling were i think mine'd be hurt right about now"

"Join out nest Bill" the female vampire said, stroking Bill's face. "Forget these blood sacks" she glanced around the bar.

"Yeah" The tall, bald and tattooed vampire said, having clicked his arm back into its socket.

"Let's party like me used to, huh?" the female vampire said, chuckling. "We used to have so, much, fun"

"Alright" Bill looked from Sookie to Carla, he was trying to get the vampires out of the bar. "Let's go"

"What the hell are you doing?!" Sookie asked.

" I should be with my own" Bill answered.

"You're better than them, you're better than they'll ever be"

"I am not human, Sookie, i am vampire" Bill then left with the other vampires, while the female vampire chuckled.

Carla helped Terry to his feet, he was shaking and twitchy.

"Terry, it's okay, listen to me, you're in Merlotte's, come with me, you can calm down in the back" Arlene helped hold Terry up with Carla, taking him into the back.

Arlene and Carla sat Terry up against one of the walls, and he pulled his legs up and became a ball.

"I froze up! I let everybody down! I didn't do nothing!" Terry said, he was red and looked completely terrified.

"This ain't Baghdad Terry, it's Merlotte's okay" Arlene held Terry's hand and he nodded, taking deep breaths.

"There isn't anything anybody could have done"

"I'm supposed to" Terry started to well up.

"It's okay Terry, no-one got hurt and that's all that matters right now, just don't worry about it"

"Shh..." Arlene said, trying to soothe Terry.

"Just take your time, when you feel better, either go back to work, or come and tell me you're leavin' and i'll let Sam know, you won't get in any trouble, i promise you" Carla reassured Terry, nodding and giving him a smile, she headed back towards the bar with Arlene.

"These rednecks are getting all riled up, they're going to go after those vampires" Sookie and Sam were at the bar, talking about the people one one of the tables, which were talking about burning down the vampire's house.

"That's not my problem" Sam answered.

"I hope they kill them all" Arlene added, getting her tray and going to get her orders.

"Bill is not like them!" Sookie replied.

"He went with them" Sam informed them.

"That was just an act, he was trying to get them out of here, lords knows i was outnumbered, there wasn't much choice" Carla said, looking at Sam.

Sookie nodded in agreement with Carla.

"Doesn't matter, he belongs with his own kind" Sam threw back.

"Dear god are you listening to yourself!" Sookie exclaimed.

"Look, whatever goes on between you and him's your business, but i do not, want him in my bar"

Sookie sighed in frustration and walked out the back of the bar.

Carla was impressed that she had kept her control, specially since it was a full moon tonight, she was happy she was finally gaining more control over her abilities, or maybe it was just because she was still tired after missing two whole days of sleep a day ago.

Sookie left early that night, to go and check on Bill, so Carla helped Sam and Arlene clean up before they locked up the bar for the night.

When Carla arrived home she got in the house without any trouble, she had not seen Eric for a few days now, and was happy that he was giving her a wide birth, though she hadn't left the house for a couple of days, she vainly hoped he had given up in his pursuit of her.

Carla was too exhausted to climb the stairs, so she crashed out on the couch after locking the house up.

* * *

Carla stood behind the Merlotte's bar, not really paying attention to what was going on around her, just on autopilot with her brain still trying to rest. Arlene was the only waitress in at that point, as Sookie was late and she was having to run all of the food out by herself, it was Tara's day off so Carla was tending the bar again, Sam was doing his best to keep up with waiting tables as well, but he was continuously sidetracked by odd jobs.

"Where the hell is Sookie today?!" Arlene yelled, rushing from the kitchen with a giant tray full of orders.

Suddenly Sookie came waltzing around the corner and walked over to Arlene, who was at the bar, she suddenly gave her a big hug, and then wandered off to Rene and Hoyt's table.

"What's with her?" Arlene shrugged at Carla's question.

"Hell if i know" Arlene added.

"Bill's not dead" Sam said, walking behind the bar.

"But i thought?" Arlene said.

"Yeah, me too" Sam replied.

"Well who was the fourth body then?" Carla asked.

"Probably some Fang-banger" Sam answered as he was walking away again.

The morning after the three vampires came into the bar, their house was burned to the ground and four coffins with four sets of remains inside were found. People had assumed that it was the three vampires plus Bill, specially after he left with them.

Sookie left Hoyt and Rene with a smile on her face, and walked towards the kitchen, but shortly after she came wandering out to look at the girl who was handing out the plates. She had walked in on Jason's arm a few minutes ago, and now she was talking to Sookie, Carla moved closer so she could listen to their conversation.

"... You're Jason's sister, right? I've heard so much about you" The girl said, shaking Sookie's hand with a smile, even from where she stood about a meter away she could smell the V all over the girl, and Jason, it made Carla sick to the stomach.

"Who are you?" Arlene butted in, looking pissed off to begin with.

"My name's Amy, Amy Burley, i'm here with Jason... and you must be Arlene with the beautiful red hair it's so nice to meet you" Amy offered Arlene her hand, while Jason wrapped his arm around the woman's neck.

"How'd you know all the table numbers?" Arlene asked, looking slightly less annoyed now, she smiled a little.

"Well, i waited tables in college so i just assumed clockwise, like table one, two, three, four, five" She pointed out what she meant before turning back to Arlene with a smile, "And i think the guys on table five like you because they left you a really nice tip" Amy said as she handed a small wad of cash over to Arlene. Arlene turned around to Sam, who was behind the bar with Carla

"Sam, i think we might have found a replacement for Dawn" She said, walking off to tend to her tables.

"Looks like you have too" Sookie said, an air of bitterness in her voice towards Jason.

Jason planted a kiss on Amy's head, a large smile on his face. Carla was still torn about whether she should tell Sookie that her brother was a V addict, and of course that he now had a V partner.

Carla sighed and rubbed her fore head, no idea what to do.

* * *

**Sorry this one is a little shorter than previous chapters, next chapter will involve some more 'Caric' so i just wanted to get this little bit out of the way before i got to that part! Hope to see you back then! Thanks for reading!**

**-Shad out**


	10. Fangtasia

**Welcome back! This one is much longer than the previous, and has a double dose of Caric! Hope you enjoy it, and please share your thoughts!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light  
**

* * *

Chapter ten - Fangtasia

* * *

A couple of nights later, Carla decided to visit Bill and ask him a few questions about Eric.

She left Merlotte's early which Sam wasn't too pleased about but still allowed her too, as the bar was on one of it's less busy nights.

She had rode in with Sookie to work so she didn't need her car, and it was already dark enough out to go for a run, arriving at Bills place in no time at all she took the porch steps in two strides and then transformed back, she was sweating a little even though it was a very cool night.

She raised her hand to tap on the front door. No answer.

She did it again, this time slightly louder.

Still no answer. She leaned on the door and put her ear against it to listen, and the door creaked open.

Carla shrugged and walked inside, closing the front door behind her. She saw that one of the lights on the second floor was on and also heard the faint music, she went to investigate.

When she got to the top of the stairs and rested her hand on the door knob, the door was closed but the light inside was on, she could see it peeking out from underneath the door.

She swung the door open without hesitation.

Her eyes widened at what was on the other side, he averted her gaze hastily.

"Well, well, well, look who's creeping around Bill's house at this hour" Eric's calm voice was passively mocking.

"It's not how you think it is" Carla said, wishing she could just turn and run.

"How is it then?" Eric cocked his head to the side.

"I need to speak to Bill, i knocked twice, no-one answer, the door was open, so i came in to wait for him, i saw the light, and came to investigate" Carla fixed her eyes on Eric's face, refusing to let her gaze wander, she convinced herself there was nothing interesting to see.

Eric was lying naked in the bath surrounded by lit candles and a set of speakers that was producing the music Carla had heard from downstairs. He was so tall his body barely fit in the tub, he had his legs sticking out the end and he was sat up straight. His long blonde hair was only slightly wet at the ends, and his eyes were closed, as if he was half asleep.

"So what are you doing here, are you and Bill an item? Damn Sookie will be jealous" Carla teased, walking into the room and closed the door behind her, pulling herself up onto the old wooden cabinet that was used as the bathroom mirror, as there was one attached to it. She swing her legs.

Eric ignored her comment. "I also need to speak with Bill" Eric informed her.

"Oh? About what?" Carla asked.

"You first"

"I need to speak to him about you, actually"

"Well, how useful that i am here"

"Not really" Carla shrugged.

"I'd rather just ask Bill, now tell me why you're here"

Eric leaned on the side of the bath with his arms, and placed his head on them, looking at Carla.

"I need to use Bill's human for something"

"I doubt she will want to be used by someone like you"

"Oh but she won't really have a choice"

"Why is that?"

"Because i am the sheriff of this area, Bill is under my command and i can request his assistance whenever i want, and since she is his human, i merely need to ask" Carla glared at Eric.

"If you are going to put Sookie in danger, then i am going to be there"

"There will not be any danger"

"Where vampires are concerned, there is always danger" Carla said, with one eyebrow raised.

"Well then, why are you putting yourself in danger?"

"Because it's Sookie, she is special" Eric suddenly looked interested.

"Tell me, how is she special?"

"Well for a start she's not human, but you already know that, don't you?"

Eric nodded.

"I'm afraid i don't know much more, and even if i did, you would be the last person on earth i would go blabbing off at the mouth to about her"

Eric put on a fake frown, trying to looked hurt. "Why not?"

"Because you have an unhealthy interest in her"

"Sounds like you're threatening me again, i don't like that much" he pulled his eyebrows together.

Carla shrugged. "Depends on how you look at it" She put on her dead eyes.

Without warning, Bill arrived in the bathroom, using his vamp speed Carla had barely heard him come through the door.

Eric lent back in the bath.

"I texted you three times, why didn't you reply?" Eric asked Bill.

"I hate using the number keys to type" Bill buried his hands in his pockets. "What are you listening too?" Bill questioned, Carla swung her legs back and forth.

"From my younger days... it's really quite beautiful if you know old Swedish" Eric answered, his eyes closed. "I have a favor to ask of you..."

"A favor or an order?" Bill said, crossing his arms, he looked at Carla and she smiled at him.

Eric turned his head to the side to look at Bill, and opened his eyes.

"Depends on how you look at it" Eric glanced at Carla, and then back to Bill. "Honestly... did you think you could keep her to yourself?" Carla hated the way vampires talked, as if human being were things to be owned, like livestock or inanimate objects, she pretended to not let it effect her.

Bill looked worried and angry at the same time, not sure what to say.

"Very well, i will bring Sookie to Fangtasia tonight after she gets off work"

"We will be ready" Eric said.

"As will i" Carla added, pushing herself off the cabinet and walking around Bill and out of the house.

* * *

Carla got to Fangtasia before even Eric got back, she waited outside for Sookie and Bill to get there, which didn't take long, is it was already late into the night when Carla had gone to see Bill.

Bill pulled up in his car and Carla opened the front door to the club, thankfully, Eric had not noticed her outside, either that or he didn't want to speak with her, which was a good thing.

Closing the door behind her she walked over to the bar and took a seat.

Moments later Sookie came in and Bill directed her to a seat on a table just in front of the bar.

Longshadow, the bar tender, was behind the bar, fiddling with a lighter. Pam was leaning against the bar with her arms crossed, looking as bored as ever. Eric was no-where to be seen, probably waiting in his office. And Bill took his place leaning against the bar too, resting his hand on it.

Sookie turned around to look at Carla.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Making sure you don't get hurt" Carla informed her, leaning back against the bar and resting her elbows on it.

Eric came sauntering out of a door that was next to the end of the bar, he had his hand resting heavily on the shoulder of a short fat man with a bald patch in the middle of his head. Eric ordered him to sit opposite Sookie.

"Pam, Longshadow and I are partners in this club" Eric informed Sookie, pacing around the table where she was sat opposite the man. "And we recently discovered that sixty thousand dollars has gone missing from our books..." Eric stopped next to the man, and patted his shoulder intimidatingly. "And Bruce... is our accountant, perhaps you can start by listening to him?"

"Hes not saying anything" Sookie spat back.

"Don't be coy... it's humbling enough to turn to a human for assistance... we know what you can do" Eric said, looking uncomfortable.

"And i know what you can do too, why don't you just glamour him?" Sookie leaned back in her chair.

"Now don't you think we might have tried everything before summoning you" Eric looked down at Sookie sarcastically. Carla hopped down from her stool, standing a little closer, as a warning to Eric.

"...So it would be a great favor, to me, and to Mr Compton if you can help us..." Eric said, looking at Carla, she returned his gaze angrily.

"If i find out who did it, then what?" Sookie asked.

"We'll turn that person over to the police and let the authorities handle it from there" Longshadow cut in, putting his lighter down on the bar and placing both hands on it to lean.

Sookie chuckled. "Hundreds of years old and you're still a terrible liar, come on..." Longshadow picked up his lighter again, looking angry, and started playing with it again. "I'll make you a deal... if you promise to hand over the person who did this to the police, i'll agree to help you any time you want" Carla rolled her eyes, cursing Sookie in her head for making such a stupid decision, Eric glanced up at Carla with a triumphant grin, and Carla gritted her teeth behind her lips.

"Alright, why not?" Eric agreed.

Sookie leaned over and picked up the man's hand. All was silent while she listened in on him.

"Calm down, Bruce, take a deep breath..." The man did just that. "Do you know who took their money?" Sookie asked, still holding onto the man's hand.

"No, no, no, you gotta believe me!" Sookie shushed him.

"Do you know who did?" She asked.

"No" she simply said

"He's telling the truth" Sookie told Eric.

"You trust a skinny human to clear the fat one?" Longshadow asked, cutting in again. Eric ignored him.

"Bring the next one in" Eric told Pam, and she disappear to get another one of their humans, taking the man with her.

Pam came back within a minute with a tall woman who was barely wearing any clothes, just a pair of denim shorts and a strapless bra.

"This is the last of our humans" She told Sookie, as the woman sat down.

"Ginger... this woman has some questions for you, now be a good girl and answer them will you" Eric told her, stand right next to her

"Aye aye master" the woman replied, and Pam stubbed out the woman's cigarette in an ash tray on the table. Sookie leaned forward to take the woman's hand, but she jerked backwards, "Don't you touch me" she warned Sookie, who rolled her eyes.

"Hold her still" Eric told Pam, who did so without question. Sookie took the woman's hand.

"Ginger, someone's been stealing money from the bar" Sookie said.

"Really?... huh" Ginger replied, looking nervous.

"She didn't do it" Sookie said, glancing up at Eric. "But she knows who did" Sookie looked back down at the woman.

"What?... Fuck you" Ginger shook her head.

"Who? Who's gonna kill you? Ginger honey what's his name?... It's blank... like her memories been erased?"

"I don't know anything, i swear!" Ginger said, shaking her head.

"She's been glamoured" Pam told Eric.

"It's a vampire!" Sookie said.

Ginger suddenly looked at Longshadow, who flew over the bar and grabbed Sookie by the throat, bending her back over a table and strangling her, he pulled her head to the side, about to bite her.

Carla pushed all of her energy into one fist, and slammed it into the vampires chest, sending him flying across the bar and into a couple of tables. He quickly got up and slapped the back of his hand across Carla's face, sending her a few steps back and onto the ground.

Longshadow went back at Sookie, about to bite her, Carla pulled herself up ready to go for the vampire again, but he suddenly froze, screaming in agony, Bill had broken off one of the wooden handles on the bear taps and had impaled Longshadow with it, granting him the true death.

He disintegrated in front of Sookie, spraying her with blood and gunge.

Pam and Eric looked at each other, and then back to Bill.

Sookie was screaming being completely covered in blood, she stopped to take a deep breath and calm down.

Then Ginger started screaming her high pitched, bloodcurdling scream, before throwing up.

Bill looked at Eric and Pam, and they stared back, regarding each other in silence for a moment.

"Humans..." Eric said, looked at Ginger, who stared screaming again after she threw up. "Honestly Bill, i don't know what you see in them"

Bill looked at Sookie, and Carla walked forward, grabbing Sookie's hand and making her stand up.

"Are you okay?" Carla asked, "Did you he bite you?" She moved Sookie's head from side to side so she could see her throat.

"No, he didn't, thanks to you, and Bill" Sookie was still a little wobbly on her feet.

"I need to get cleaned up" Sookie said, looking down at herself. Carla nodded, and led her towards the bathrooms, holding her hand, and she was still shaky.

Carla sat and helped Sookie clean off her hair and face, though she was still mostly covered in vampire leftovers. From the bathrooms they could hear Ginger sobbing and screaming out in the bar, probably cleaning up the mess.

Carla left Sookie to clean the rest of the blood of her, and went to go and find Eric and Bill, she heard their voices down the corridor behind the bar, and followed them to a closed door where she listened to their conversation.

"I'll take the girl" Eric said.

"No" Bill bit back. "You can have anyone you want, why do you want her?" Bill said after a brief pause.

"Why do you want her?" Eric asked, sounding inquisitive. "You're not in love with her are you?"

"Sookie must be protected..." Bill answered.

"Now that sounds like a edict, but it couldn't be because i would know about that..." Eric answered quickly, sounding intense. "Admit it, you love her"

"If i hadn't done what i did, would you have let his disloyalty stand?" Bill bit back.

"Whatever i did to Longshadow i would not have done in front of witnesses, specially not vampire witnesses, not smart Bill... not smart at all"

Carla felt the sudden pressure of a hand on her arm, and she was pulled at vamp speed into the office, Eric was sat in a tall, black leather chair, behind a desk. Bill sat across from him with a bottle of True blood in his hand.

"This one was listening at the door, i thought you'd better know" Pam said, holding onto Carla arm still.

"Thank you Pam" Eric nodded at her.

"Do you mind not holding my arm like that" Carla said as she yanked her arm out of the vampires hold, Pam put her hands on her hips and pouted at Carla.

"Pam, please go and find something clean for Miss Stackhouse to put on, she cannot go home in bloody clothes" Eric said, glancing at Bill.

"Of course" Pam replied, before disappearing out of the door.

"What is it you want" Eric addressed Carla.

"Well, I'd like to know what the implications of tonight's little mishap are, is Bill going to meet the true death?" Carla asked, putting her hands on her hips.

Bill stiffened, and Eric got up out of his seat to wander over to her.

"I doubt it, but we will need to visit the Magister and he will pass judgement, but we were just discussing the possible ways to avoid such an outcome"

Carla looked up at Eric, he was stood in front of her, looking down at her now.

"You will never have Sookie" she told him. He chuckled.

"Are you going to stop me?"

"If i have to" Carla's eyes narrowed, and Eric unsheathed his fangs. "Just fucking try it" Carla glared at Eric, who stared down at her with a smile on his face.

"If you two are done i'd like to take Sookie home?" Bill said, breaking the silence

"Fine" Eric said, going back to sit down at his desk. "I'll be in touch" He assured Bill.

* * *

"Are you in any trouble?" Sookie asked Bill as they got out of the car back at the house.

"Just a simple slap on the wrist, that's all" Bill lied, Carla didn't say anything.

"You sure? Because Pam made it sound like-"

"Pam was turned almost a hundred years ago and yet somehow still behaves as if every day were Halloween" Bill gave Sookie his hand to help her up the porch steps. "She's all drama and theatrics" Bill finished, shrugging it off. "I assure you, everything's going to be fine" Bill opened the front door for Sookie, and they all filled into the house.

Bill closed the front door behind him.

"I'm going to take a shower, it still feels like there's blood all over me" Sookie reached for the light switch, and light poured over the gory scene that had been left in Sookie's hallway. Her cat, Tina, had been decapitated and tied upside down to the ceiling fan, which was on, and flinging the cats blood all over the walls of the hallway.

Sookie screamed, and Bill grabbed her, taking her out of the front door, and to his place. Carla reached up and turned the fan off, a tear making its way down her cheek.

She'd have to clean up.

* * *

Before Carla went to bed, she headed over to Bill to tell Sookie that she's cleaned the hallway and buried her cat, she had marked the grave with a small wooden cross that her gran used to wear, in the flower beds out the front of the house.

Sookie thanked her as she left, Carla decided to stay at Sookie's house and make sure that no-one could get back inside. She locked all the windows and doors, and ensured they were all secure.

What a night it had been.

* * *

The next day Carla came into work early, she didn't really want to be alone in the house considering the nights events, plus she had got a text from Sookie to tell her that she was going straight into Merlotte's and not coming home, and that Carla needed to bring her uniform in from the house.

The day at Merlotte's went very slowly and boringly, Carla was waiting tables, as Tara was in, and having four waitresses made it less of a task to keep up with the amount of people in the bar.

About four hours after night fell, Bill came into the bar, along with Eric, Pam and another vampire that Carla didn't know. He looked quite distressed, and walked over to Sookie to tell her something, he then went out into the back, probably to find Sam, leaving Eric and Pam out front, the new vampire followed Bill.

Carla heard Bill tell Eric to try and behave himself, to which he replied.

"Don't i always?"

Carla walked out front.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She asked, looking up at Eric.

"Business" He said, looking down at her in her uniform. "Quite the pair of legs you've got on you"

"Shut you're face, and don't you dare start any trouble here" Carla raised her hand and pointed at the vampire. "This is MY only warning"

Eric leaned forward and kissed the end of Carla's finger.

"Don't worry sweetie, I'll be a gentleman, for tonight" He grinned down at her.

Eric started handing out leaflets and advertisements for his bar, thankfully being respectful and friendly to the patrons of the bar.

Carla still stayed on high alert though, as she was afraid of what the vampire might do.

"Simply present this at the door and you're first drink's on me" Eric explained, showing off the cards as Pam handed them out.

"Plus, Thursday's ladies night so bring a date, that's if you can get one" Pam said, and the rednecks chuckled.

"Not him" Eric said, turning around, Pam pulled the card out of the man's reach. "He doesn't get one"

"What gives brah?" the redneck asked.

Eric used his vamp speed to get right up in the man's face.

"What'd you do to your arm there... bro?" Eric narrowed his eyes at the man.

"Eric, sluta" (Eric, stop) Carla growled, standing up with her arms by her sides and her fists clenched.

Eric turned around and wandered over to the woman, putting his finger on her nose. "Mitt företag, hålla ut av det" (My business, keep out of it) Carla reached up and closed her hand around his finger, pushing it out of her face, this made Eric grin.

Carla noticed Bill come around the corner and into the front of the bar, walking towards Sookie.

"Dags för dig att gå" (Time for you to go) Carla said, her voice full of controlled anger.

"You have three minutes to talk to Sookie, we have a tribunal to get to" Eric told Bill.

Bill took Sookie's arm and pulled her outside into the parking lot, Pam and this new vampire followed them. As did Carla. Eric came out shortly after.

Carla stood a few feet away from the vampires but not to close to Sookie and Bill, so they could have some privacy to say goodbye.

The three vampires soon lined up out in the parking lot a few steps away from Bill and Sookie, waiting for them to finish their conversation.

"Paula, i wish to speak with you once i get back, come and visit Fangtasia in a couple of nights time"

"Fuck you, Eric, there are no matters that i wish to discuss with you" Carla spat back, refusing to look at the vampire.

Eric used his vamp speed to be standing right next to Carla, his mouth next to her ear, in a matter of less than a second.

"Jag tror att det finns många saker vi måste diskutera, Carla, jag kommer att se dig snart" (I think there are many things we need to discuss, Carla, i will see you soon) Eric said, and Carla could hear the smile on his lips.

Eric turned on his heel and yelled at Bill to come, Carla was completely stiff, she was right, she was in too deep.

"Bill! Now!" Eric ordered, Bill broke apart from Sookie and walked away with the other vampires, Carla walked over to Sookie and hugged her tight, tears were beginning to well up in her eyes.

They walked back inside the bar, Carla could have sworn that Sookie was talking to her, but she couldn't hear over the sound of her mind telling her to leave as soon as the sun rose.

* * *

Sookie came striding round the side of the bar, car keys in hand.

"Carla, can we go please, we're going to stay at Bill's, no-one will look for us there" Carla nodded, putting the last of the pitchers away and following Sookie out the back.

They both got in the car and drove to Bill's place, apparently to Sookie, Bill had asked Sam to looked after her, but since he was apparently 'busy' in his office with Tara, Sookie wanted to leave early.

* * *

Sookie arrived at Bill's and almost lept out of the car at an amazing speed. Carla followed at a more relaxed pace.

Sookie was going to sleep in the master bedroom, and Carla on the floor of the same room, in her cheetah form, though, so she didn't catch a cold from sleeping on the floor of the old drafty house.

Carla slept with one eye open that night, and a few minutes after they had settled, she heard the creaking of the wooden steps downstairs. Within a moment she was on her feet and at the door, Sookie was still asleep, So Carla prowled out of the room to see a brown and white dog in the corridor, she barred her teeth at it.

It looked very familiar.

Suddenly Sookie walked out of the room, and into the corridor.

At the same moment the dog turned into Sam, completely naked, and red all over. Sookie gasped,

"Fuck off!" she said, incredibly surprised.

* * *

The three of them went out onto the porch to talk, Sookie lent against the wooden rail and Carla crossed her legs in one of the chairs. Sam did the same next to her.

"A shapeshifter?" Sookie said, as if she had never heard of the term in her life.

"Most of us just refer to ourselves as shifters" Sam explained.

"Well, how many of you are there?"

"Thousands, tens of thousands, i don't know, we're not exactly widely known"

"Do you come from like a family of shifters or something?"

"It's hereditary, so yeah, but uhh, i was adopted, and the family that took me it, we never talked about it"

"Can you turn into anything? Like cats? birds?"

"Yeah cats sure, i can do bird, but flying's hard"

"Ha, tell me about it" Carla said, cutting in, she was staring off into space, tapping her fingers on the arm of the chair.

"And what exactly are you? Spill the fucking beans already" Carla decided there wasn't much point in lying anymore.

"I'm a druid" Carla said, looking from Sam to Sookie. "I was taught fro a very young age how to harness the power of, well nature, and control it, that can mean anything from control fire and water to turning into an animal, i was better at the animal side of things, so that was my specialty. It made me stronger than a normal human, but my animal forms are somewhat less inconspicuous than Sam's, because of the size and color, i am easily seen"

"So you can turn into anything as well?" Sam inquired.

"It's slightly different to that" Carla said. "I can copy others for a short time just by touching, so when i touched Sookie i had a small amount of telepathic power, when we tried to communicate both ways, i overpowered her, and she passed out, and that's why she fell over that night in the bar. However, if i have the blood of something, the life force of an organism, i can become them, and use their abilities as my own. My forms originally come from simple animals, just more powerful as I've used them over the years. And on a full moon it's harder for me to control my abilities" Carla explained.

"That's like me, i can't control the shift on a full moon, and i need a live animal, as like a template, and imprint, if you'd like" Sam said.

"Can you turn into another person?" Sookie asked, looking nervous.

"Humans are too complex, despite what you might see at the bar" Sam smiled.

"Can you do it any time then?"

"Yes, like Carla, i can do it anytime"

"So you two are like werewolves, with the whole full moon thing?" Sookie asked.

"Hey, werewolves are dangerous, nasty creatures, DO NOT call me a werewolf!" Sam exclaimed.

"Werewolves exist too?" Sookie asked, furrowing her brow.

Carla and Sam nodded at the same time.

"What else is there?" Sookie questioned, looking very daunted.

"More than you can ever imagine" Sam said, leaning back in his chair.

Sookie sighed and walked away, sitting on the porch steps.

"I'm going to get some rest, i need to talk to you in the morning" Carla said to Sam, who nodded, heading over to Sookie.

Carla went back into the house, telling Sookie good night before going back up to the bedroom to sleep.

* * *

**Thanks for reading, i hope you liked this one, and the fact it was a lot longer than the previous one! Please leave a review with your thoughts, i really like to hear what you people think! Thanks so much! See you in the next one i hope, thanks for spending your time reading my fanfic!**

**-Shad out**


	11. Murderer Revealed

**Welcome back! Thank you for coming back to read some more of my fanfic! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as i enjoy writing it for you! I hope you have a great day and you come back for more again!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light  
**

* * *

Chapter eleven - Murderer Revealed

* * *

The next morning, Sam was still in the lounge, waiting for Sookie to wake up.

"Morning" Carla said, walking around the corner fro the stairs into the entrance to the lounge, Sam was sitting on one of the couches.

"Morning" he returned, with a yawn.

"Listen, Sam, i might need a couple of nights off work, three at the most, i have business out of town with some folks, i'll be back as soon as i can" Sam pulled himself up off the couch, rubbing his head.

"Business with who exactly?" he asked.

"Some old friends, it won't take more than a couple of nights, then i'll be back, i promise"

"This wouldn't be anything to do with them vampires that came in after Bill last night, now would it?" Carla shook her head, as if to say no.

"Alright, well it's none of my business, just stay safe, okay?"

Carla nodded, "And you look after Sookie please" Sam nodded, giving her a smile.

* * *

After that, Carla went to the location of the vampire tribunal, which was just outside New Orleans, at a scrap yard, there, she waited for nightfall.

Once the moon came out, the place started to thrive with activity, the Magister, or judge of the vampire legal system along with a group of other vampires, or the jury entered the junk yard, getting ready for the nights events.

Carla walked out from her hiding place, to meet the vampires half way.

* * *

That night, the place was thriving with activity, there were a lot of vampires being prosecuted, so it took a long time for them to get to Bill's case.

When Bill stepped forward, with Eric and Pam behind him, Carla lept down from her perch, and walked slowly over to the group, tonight, she was in the form of a giant wolf, one of her least favorite shifts, but she knew that Eric didn't know she could change into multiple forms, and this form was slightly darker in color.

"This is an old friend of mine, she wishes to watch, and i have agreed, now onto the case" The Magister cleaned up quickly, not taking his eyes of Bill.

Carla sat back at the front of the truck which the Magister was sitting on his chair in, Eric was staring at her, but she paid no attention, and instead watched Bill, who was also looking at her.

"So tell me, Mr Compton, why is it that you decided to kill one of your own species?" The Magister look down on Bill, who finally looked away from Carla.

"Longshadow was choking the girl, and would have killed her" Bill replied.

"So you murdered a higher life form for the sake of your pet? I am assuming that is what you mean by her?" The Magister spoke down to Bill with authority laced into his voice. "You broke and ancient and fundamental law, you decreased our numbers at a critical time in our history... very bad, very very bad" The Magister scolded.

"Magister, Longshadow broke the law first, she was mine and he knew it, he would have killed her and fed from her" Bill argued.

"HELLO! HUMAN! IRRELEVANT! Happens every day!" The Magister shouted back at Bill.

"He was stealing from Eric!" Bill exclaimed.

"Sheriff?" The Magister raised his eyebrows.

"Yes Magister, it's true, Longshadow was a thief and a liar, he was hurting my business" Eric glanced away to the Magister to speak, but after he had finished, he replaced his fierce stare back onto Carla, who didn't even react.

"The business part... that is a serious offence..." The Magister fiddled with his cane.

"And it was the human who exposed Longshadow!" Bill added. "Would you tell him Eric!" Eric didn't look at Bill.

Eric stopped eyeing Carla to looked at the Magister, "the only reason the girl was there, was because i summoned her" He admitted.

"To protect your wealth!" Bill encouraged him.

"To protect my wealth, yes!" Carla could tell that Eric was becoming irritated, by the dangerous tone of his voice. "Magister, she is, valuable..."

"Humans exist to serve us that is their only value" The Magister informed Eric.

"There are those among us that... think differently" Bill informed him.

"Do you question my authority?!" The Magister growled at Bill. "I am the Magister, i was trained in the inquisition, and i am the adjudicator for every vampire territory in north america, as the humans say, the humans you love more than you own kind, BACK YOUR SHIT DOWN!" The Magister yelled, as a warning, he was infuriated.

Bill went to go on the offensive, taking a dangerous step forward, but before he could do anything stupid, Eric cut in.

"Bill!" He warned. Bill took a step back and calmed himself.

The Magister chuckled, "Well you haven't bored me, that works in your favor, and you seem to be obedient to your sheriff"

"For the most part" Bill turned to Eric, glaring at him for that statement. Eric turned around the faced the Magister.

"What is matters, yes he is" Eric agreed.

"The usual sentence is five years in a coffin chained with silver, during that time you body will waste to leather and sticks, and you'll probably go insane..." Bill's face was frightened, terrified even. "However, i'm feeling a bit, creative"

One of the vampires back a car up into the junk yard, and the boot was opened.

A redheaded girl was pulled out of the trunk and she ran around, sobbing her heart out, she feel over herself and then fell on the floor next to Bill.

Carla had to close her eyes, this would be hard to watch, but the exact conditions were that she did not get involved in the trial in any way, and she had to stick to them.

Pam and Eric moved forward, looking down at the girl, when Carla opened her eyes, she realized that Eric was looking at her again, and she watched the girl, trying to concentrate on remaining stoic.

"No" Bill told the Magister, the girl started to sob and pray on the ground, asking for mercy, "Put me in the coffin Magister, i will go willingly" Bill begged.

"Please, please sir, please help me, take me home and i won't tell no-one just please sir" the girl said, still on her knees on the ground.

"There's no help for you child" the Magister chuckled down at the redhead. Who lowered her face to the ground and started to sob uncontrollably.

When she looked back up, the Magister leaned forward to talk down at the girl, "Meet your maker" He said, using his cane to point at Bill.

"Please don't let them kill me, please i don't wanna die!" The redheaded girl crawled over to Bill and held the ends of his trouser legs, begging him.

"If you wanna torture someone, torture me!" Bill encouraged, trying to get out of turning the girl.

"Torture? I don't think so, i could show you torture... if you like" The Magister replied, regarding the girl, who laid down on the floor and played with her hair, muttering prayers to herself.

"No... no i was wrong to speak" Bill admitted, looking down at the ground.

"You can quit stalling! What you see in this cow, Mr Compton is simply a response to stimuli, humans are quite, primitive, incapable of feeling pain as we do, but, you know that"

One of the vampires stepped forward and grabbed the girl by the hair, pulling her over towards Bill.

"Proceed, and glamour is not allowed" The Magister informed Bill, who shouted back.

"She's just a girl!"

"Oh you are boring me, just shut up and do what you're told!" The Magister yelled.

Bill knelt down next to the girl and pulled her against him, holding her still, he drew his fangs. "Please forgive me..." He said, before plunging his fangs into the girl's neck, rupturing her jugular vein.

Carla turned away from the vampires, disappearing into the darkness, ready to follow Bill once he found a place to bury the new born.

* * *

The next night, Bill crawled out of the ground as soon as the moon peeked over the horizon, though it was still shadowed by the tall trees.

As soon as Carla saw him emerge, and shake the dirt of himself, she walked slowly out of the forest, still in the same form as the previous night, right over to him.

Bill didn't notice her until she was a few steps away, blinded by the fact he was listening to the earth, to make sure that he progeny was not stirring.

"Good evening, Bill" Carla said, revealing the fact she could communicate in her animal forms.

"Carla?"

"Yes, forgive me, but i needed Eric not to know that i was present for the trial"

Bill sat down on the stump of a tree that was close to his bed for the previous night, a four pack of true bloods just next to it.

"That's understandable" Bill replied, with a smile.

"I believe i have misjudged you, it would seem that you are not like any other vampire i have met before" Bill raised an eyebrow.

"How so?" He asked, curious.

"You feel, you have retained your humanity somewhat" Bill nodded. Carla sat back, changing back into her human form, she was still in her Merlotte's uniform, and she hadn't even realized.

"I'd just like to tell you, that i trust you, and i know now that you will protect Sookie, without being threatened by me, i am sorry that the start of out friendship was not the best" Bill nodded.

"As am i" He smiled slightly.

"I am sorry i could not get you a lighten sentence, unfortunately, the Magister is very brutal when it comes to murderers"

Bill glanced at the ground underneath him, and then up to look at Carla again.

"It's not a problem, i don't expect you to have any particular sway over vampire politics"

"Neither do i care very much, and i have no interest in Eric either, just a simple and calm life, something that i have never managed to find in my life" Carla answered, feeling numb.

"Then why are you staying with Sookie?" Bill asked. Carla shrugged.

"I don't even know myself, there's just something about her, i find myself unable to leave, like she is something that must be protected" Carla sighed.

Anyway, i better go, i am sure your progeny will be awakening soon, and i probably shouldn't be here when that happens" Carla stood up, about to leave. "I'll see you back in Bon Temps Bill, hopefully soon, until then, Good night and good luck" Carla turned away, shifted, and then ran back into the woods, towards home.

* * *

Carla arrived home just after Sam and Sookie, who had been out for the day, they greeted each other, Carla gave Sookie a hug, and the same with Sam.

"I'll be back to work tomorrow, sorry about missing a couple of days" Sam shook his head.

"It's fine Carla, honestly, i closed the bar for the day, so it's fine" Carla smiled at the man.

"Alright, i'm gonna go and get a shower and wash my work clothes, see you two in a couple minutes" Carla said, before heading upstairs.

Carla jumped in the shower and let the hot water hit her like a deluge, washing away the aching in her muscles.

After half an hour, Carla switched off the water and hoped out of the shower, wiping away the steam on the bathroom mirror, she saw the big black rings under her eyes. She needed to rest.

Carla headed across the landing to her room, drying herself off he pulled a nightie over her head, about ready to go to be.

Carla abruptly remembered that she needed to put her dirty work clothes in the washer, and headed downstairs.

When she got to the stop of the stairs, she heard yelling from the front room, Carla heard Bill's voice, and decided she would just leave the washing for tonight, she turned on her heel and went back to her room to sleep.

* * *

The next morning Sam took Sookie into work early so he could get the bar ready to open for lunch, so when Carla woke up, the house was empty.

She borrowed one of Sookie's spare sets of work clothes and drove in to work as well.

Upon arrival, Sam informed her that Sookie's brother had confessed to the murders of the women in Bon Temps, and that last night Amy was murdered.

Carla could barely believe what she was hearing, specially considering she was staying with the sister of the person who killed Sammy, that couldn't be right, it must be wrong, they must have made a mistake.

"That can't be right" Carla said, holding the back of her neck with her hand.

"It isn't right, yesterday me and Sookie did a little investigating, found out that there was a strangled woman found in another parish down the road, and she slept with vampires too, her brother went missing shortly after the murder" Sam explained, leaning on his desk, they were inside his office.

"Did they think he did it?" Carla asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"They don't know, he completely disappeared, but because the murder was exactly like what's been going on in Bon Temps, we had the sheriff there fax down a picture of the guy, i'm not sure if he's done it yet, but i am sure as hell it's not Jason" Sam answered.

Carla nodded, biting her bottom lip.

"Alright, you seen Sookie around?" Carla asked, wrapping her hand around the door knob, ready to leave.

"Yeah she's out front waiting tables, i told her to leave work for the day and stay in my office so i could keep an eye on her, but she refused, said she'd missed too much work lately"

Carla nodded.

"Alright, thanks Sam" Carla left and headed for the front.

As she turned the corner she saw Sookie standing in the middle of the floor, looking terrified and distracted, just staring into space.

Carla walked up to her and grabbed her by the arm, pulling her out of the view of the patrons.

"Sookie? Are you okay?" Carla asked, letting the woman's arm go.

"Y-y-yeah, i just don't think i should have come into work today, since my brothers in trouble an all" Carla titled her head to the side.

"What happened with Bill last night, did you two have a fight?"

"He hit Sam, came in and tore up my front room, wrecked the place, so i resended his invitation" Sookie said, crossing her arms in front of herself.

"Oh, Sookie" Carla rubbed her forehead, "you shouldn't have"

"Excuse me, i think i can decide what i do with my own life and the people who i see in my own time" Sookie said, giving Carla sas.

"Sookie, last night i followed Bill, i saw what he had to do at that vampire trial, if you knew anything about what he did for you-"

"Well this is strange, a few weeks ago you were telling me to stay safe as if he was some sort of wild animal, now you're off blowing his trumpets and playing his fan fare, what the fuck?"

"Sookie, don't you fucking start this with me, everyone is allowed to misjudge people, that's not a fucking crime"

"And you know what, maybe i misjudged you" Sookie spat, walking past the woman and bumping into her shoulder, heading for Sam's office.

"Sookie..." Carla sighed, bashing the side of her fist against the brick wall next to her, the stress of having vampires wanting her dead was definitely getting to her, she couldn't handle this sort of pressure, and yet neither could she leave.

"Fuck" she muttered.

Carla waited the last few tables before Merlotte's closed to get ready for dinner time.

Carla strode out the back to speak with Sam, and find Sookie.

Sam met her half way to his office.

"Hey, Carla, Sookie went out the back t drive around for a bit, she said she needed some air, wouldn't be anything to do with you now would it?" Sam crossed his arms over his chest, and they started wandering towards the front of the bar together to help clean up.

"Yeah... we had a fight, it was my fault, i took it too far and she stomped off before i could apologize" Carla said, Sam went to lean his back on the bar, and Carla stood in front off him.

"Well, such is Sookie, she gets a bee in her bonnet and it takes a while for her to calm down" Sam explained.

"Hey, Sam, Rene left his vest" Lafayette cut in.

"I'll put it in the lost and found" Sam told him, raising his hand so he could catch the jacket when Lafayette threw it to him.

Suddenly Sam stopped dead, he pulled the jacket closer to his face and sniffed it, taking a deep inhale.

Carla raised an eyebrow at him.

Immediately he threw down the jacket and ran out of the bar, Carla followed him, puzzled, something bust be wrong.

When Carla got out of the door, she saw Sam yelling at Terry, she only heard Terry's reply.

"She left with Rene about twenty- twenty-three minutes ago" Terry stuttered a little, and Sam sprinted past him.

Carla pulled off her apron and gave it to Terry, who looked very confused.

Sam sprinted round the back of the bar and hopped in his truck.

"Get in!" He yelled, starting the engine. Carla did as she was told.

"What the hell is wrong with you Sam?! Is something wrong?!" Carla asked, looking very confused.

"Yeah, there's something very wrong, the fact that Sookie is gonna get murdered or might even be dead right now"

"What do you mean?" Sam pulled out of the Merlotte's parking lot at an incredibly dangerous speed, and had his peddle to the metal.

"I mean that the fucking killer is Rene, and he's with Sookie!" Sam said, concentrating on the road, his hands were clutched around the steering wheel so tightly Carla could see his veins and muscles twitching on the surface of his skin.

Carla just hoped that they weren't too late.

* * *

Sam arrived at the house seconds later, and he didn't even put the handbrake on before he flew out of the car, yelling Sookie's name and rushing into the house, which had the door left wide open, Carla was a few steps behind him.

Sam stopped in the doorway, looking down at the belt that lay there discarded, next to a trail of blood spatters that led outside.

Sam stepped back out of the hose and took another deep in hale.

"Where are they Sam?!" Carla ordered, and he said nothing, he simply sprinted in the direction of the cemetery, stripping off his clothes, and transforming. Carla did the same, but she was slower than she would have been if she was fully rested, but she was still tired from spend the last two nights in her animal form.

She was going at about the same speed as Sam, and as they came closer to the cemetery, Carla notice the blood spatters on the dirt road, they were definitely going the right way, Carla just hoped that it wasn't Sookie's blood.

Soon enough Sam led Carla to where Rene was on top of Sookie, strangling her.

Sam got to him first, leaping on him and savaging his throat, biting down on him, Rene grabbed a stone ornament from one of the graves and hit Sam over the head with it, knocking the dog out.

Carla approached the man and jumped onto a headstone and then onto the man, pinning him to the ground with her giant claw paws.

She let out a low roar into the man face, and he shook like a leather beneath her.

"What the fuck?!" he yelled, trying to force Carla off him, but she didn't even move an inch.

Completely without warning a spade came down on the man's throat, separating his head from his body and killing him stone dead. The spade slowly slid down from it's upright position to horizontal, and rested on the ground.

Carla looked up and saw Sookie standing next to her, panting and looking beaten and bruised.

Sam then stood up, looking better than Sookie, but they both had blood coming from there heads, Sam on his forehead where Rene had hit him, and Sookie from the back where she had been thrown down against a grave stone.

Carla reverted back to her human form and stood up straight, looking over in the direction of a strange sizzling sound.

There was clouds of smoke coming off of a body that looked like a ashen corpse.

Carla ran over and picked the body up in her arms, and ran back over to the open grave that Sookie and were next too.

"Quickly, we need to bury him! Get him out of the sun!" Carla jumped down into the grave and placed Bill down as gently as she could and then climbed out, Sam started shoveling the dirt back in and Carla simply pushed one of the mounds of dirt that had originally been taken from the hole back over Bill, so he wasn't being hit by the sun's rays.

* * *

After taking Sam and Sookie to the hospital and delivering them home, Carla called Lafayette and Tara to come over and see them.

When night fell, which was when Arlene came to see Sookie, completely hysterical about Rene and the fact that he was a murderer. Carla checked her phone.

She found a text that made her heard skip a beat.

_Come to Fangtasia,_

_it's time for our talk._

_-EN_

Carla knew well that after the day she had had, she should be resting, but unfortunately, it was a very bad idea to keep Eric waiting.

Carla went upstairs to get changed out of her bloody work clothes and put them in the wash, she changed into a pair of half length jeans with a white button up shirt with short sleeves.

She came downstairs and told Sam she had business to attend too, and he was curious but thankfully didn't ask her any questions.

Carla headed out into the car with her bag and started up the engine.

Somehow she knew she would regret going.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed the season one finale! Next chapter will feature some more Caric! Wahoo! I hope you like them together because i love writing about them together! Please leave me a review and tell me what you thought about the chapter, please share your thoughts and opinions, because i love to read them, bad or good! **

**Thanks for all the support, and i hope to see you in the next chapter!  
Until next time,  
-Shad out.**


	12. Meeting

**Welcome back to my fanfic, i hope you enjoy this chapter and thank you so much for coming back to read it! Thank you so much for all of your support and reviews and please feel free to leave more, they are always appreciated! **

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter twelve - Meeting

* * *

When Carla arrived at Fangtasia, it was thriving with noise and excitement, the bar was packed and Carla had to push her way through the back between sweaty body's and ice cold ones, being so close to vampires made her nervous.

She opened the door next to the bar, heading into Eric's office, the door was shut, so she knocked politely.

Only after she knocked did she notice the gasp and moaning sounds coming from the other side of the door, Carla sighed, but refused to wait for Eric to finish his sexual business before seeing her, specially as he had summoned her.

She knocked again, this time louder than before, but the noises continued.

Carla decided to give him one more chance to pack it in, before she tried a different course of action, she slammed her fist against the door three times, causing it to shake on it's hinges.

The noises still did not cease. Carla's final straw left the building.

She turned the door knob and walked straight into the room, Eric had a quite short, black haired woman laid over his desk, he was feeding on her, from the artery on the inside of the woman's leg, and she was squirming with delight.

When Carla walked in, the woman sat up straight and pulled away from Eric, she wasn't sure what to do.

"Get out" Carla growled at the woman, who started to walk to the door.

Eric used his vamp speed to close the distance between him and Carla, he looked down at her, blood on his lips and on his teeth, his fangs extended and threatening.

"Since you entered so rudely, why don't you get out?" Eric growled back.

The woman paused before she came to the door, looking back at the two, not sure whether to leave or stay.

"You summoned me here, i am not going to wait while you have a meal, i have other things to do with my life than wait for you" Eric looked very displeased to say the least, his muscles were rigid and he looked like he might attack Carla.

But Carla remained straight faced and didn't react to his demeanor.

Carla turned to the woman and snatched her by the hair, she threw her out into the corridor and slammed the door behind her, while the woman screamed profanities at her.

"Now, what the fuck do you want Eric?"

Eric sighed, and licked the blood from his fangs and his lips, taking his time to make her wait for him, which made her even more agitated, she didn't know why seeming him feeding from a woman had made her so angry, it was completely illogical.

Once Eric had finished swallowing every last drop, he crossed his arms over his chest, and took on his usual bored pose, leaning against the side of his desk.

"Why were you at the tribunal? I told you to stay away" He questioned, in a terribly sour mood.

"Tribunal? What tribunal?" Carla asked, sitting down on the chair in front of his desk, putting her legs up on the desk and resting them there.

"I do not like it when people lie to me, that is one thing you should know about me" Eric snarled, looking down at her.

"But i'm not lying, i do not know what you are talking about" Carla told him, remaining emotionless.

Eric used his vamp speed to move her feet off the table and then stand in front of her, his hands clutching the arm rests of the chair, he leaned down over her.

"This will be your very final warning, if you do not tell me the truth, i will fucking drain you, tear you to pieces and spread you out over Sookie's front lawn!" Eric yelled in her face, trying to seem threatening, which he succeeded in, despite the fact that Carla simply let her neutral face turn into a small smile and then she laughed at him.

Eric growled, standing up straight and shoving Carla's seat back as he did it, so she slid a few centimeters backwards. She looked up at Eric, who had his arms crossed again and his fangs now retracted.

She wiped away a tear of happiness from her eye, smiling up at Eric. She stood up straight in front of him.

"I must admit, you're quite the hard worker" Carla said, walking away towards the door. "Is that all you wish to talk about? Because otherwise i will be going"

"I don't think you're going anywhere, Carla" Eric said, and Carla froze. How could she forget about that? Carla turned on her heel, crossing her own arms now.

"So tell me, how do you know about that?" Carla asked, keeping the smile on her face.

Eric shrugged, standing up and strolling over to her, to look directly down at her.

"I know an awful lot of things" He admitted.

Carla raised an eyebrow.

"Paula Bambridge didn't exist as a person until a few months ago, i was doing some digging and she has no records in any hospitals, schools, bills, nothing" Eric wandered back over to his desk, and looked down at a file that was right in front of his chair.

"Then i looked through some police records from the far west, Washington to be exact, i found this" Eric continued as he pushed the papers over to Carla. Carla glanced at the papers, and then at the picture in the top left hand corner, it was a picture of her, listed as Carla Jones for a robbery, one which she had committed because she was starving, this was in her much younger days, and was done as a last resort.

"Shocking resemblance" Carla said, putting down the papers. "But it still doesn't prove it's me"

"On the contrary, i don't think I need anymore proof" Eric said, leaning forward onto his desk, placing his hands on it.

"What exactly do you think you can do with this proof?" Carla said, playing along.

"Well for a start i can go to the police and tell them that a wanted criminal is living in a small town in Louisiana" Eric warned, standing up straight again, a huge arrogant grin on his face, Carla wished she could just slap it right off.

"Or?" Carla asked, crossing her arms.

"You will have to do a few things for me" Eric replied, his grin growing larger.

"Like what things?"

"First of all, you need to find a way to get Sookie to help me, i need her expertise for a certain, job, and i need to as soon as i can possibly get it" Carla shrugged.

"Why can't you just ask Bill for Sookie's help?"

"Because Bill is irrationally attached to the girl, what i am asking for is dangerous, and he will say no, i am sure that Bill is madly in love with her"

"Right, so what makes you think that me asking Sookie to put herself in danger and you asking her is any different?"

"Because you have protected her, she trusts you, and she will feel inclined to repay you for your help"

"I doubt she will much want to help you whether it is for me or not, Sookie no short of hates your dead guts, and i am not surprised"

Eric chuckled, sitting down in his chair.

"She doesn't have to like me, she just has to help me"

Carla rolled her eyes.

"Additionally, you owe me some favors"

Carla nodded, "Of course"

"I will also check up on you weekly" Carla sighed. "Just a phone call, i wouldn't want to impede on your exciting life"

Carla rolled her eyes at him again.

"Are we done?"

Eric shrugged.

"I suppose, unless there is something else you'd like to stay for, maybe you can be as helpful as that woman you chucked out, i am still very thirsty" Eric grinned mischievously.

"Fan ta dig död fitta" (Profanities) Carla spat as she walked to the door, grabbing the knob ready to leave.

Eric used his unatural speed to appear leaning onthe door so Carla could not open it.

He reached down for the knob, and Carla moved her hand so they did not touch, and he opened the door for her.

"God natt, lilla kattunge" (Good night, little kitten) Eric replied with a joking smile.

Carla simply left.

* * *

**Thanks for reading, sorry this chapter is very short but i will probably release it with the next one as well, so it won't be such a small update, i just wanted this part and the next part to be seperate. Thanks so much for reading, i'll see you next time!**

**Plus, quick message to 'Guest' and VampireElf14, thank you so much for your reviews, it's good to hear that you are enjoying my fanfic, and i will continue to write more for you and all those that enjoy it! Thanks for the support!**

**Also, it's good to hear you've gotten an account, looking forward to seeing some of your work soon maybe? ;)**

**-Shad out**


	13. Dallas

**Welcome back, and thanks for coming back, i hope you enjoy this chapter, because i loved writing it! **

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter thirteen - Dallas

* * *

**Two and a half weeks later**

* * *

Carla woke to the sound of the television on downstairs, it was very early, and Sookie must have already been up and about.

Carla pulled on her dressing gown and made her way downstairs, upon arriving in the kitchen she saw Sookie watching the television.

A couple were depicted above the head line of 'Mr and Mrs Jordan Hamby, Parents of missing teenage girl' the woman, Mrs Hamby was explaining how her daughter was a brave and smart girl and pleading that the person who took her would bring her home to them.

Once the woman stopped speaking and a picture appeared, it was a picture of the girl that Carla had seen Bill turn. Sookie gasped.

"What's wrong?" Carla asked, not knowing if Sookie knew yet.

Sookie jumped, she obviously didn't know that Carla was standing there.

"Goodness Carla, don't sneak up on me like that" She said.

"Sorry Sookie"

"That girl looked just like Bill's new progeny, that he waited until last night to actually tell me about"

Carla sighed, and massaged her temples. Carla went to pour herself a coffee.

"That's because it is her" Carla said, sitting down in the chair opposite Sookie.

"How do you know?"

"Because that's what happens when vampires are made, they cannot go back to their family's" Carla explained, Sookied looked confused.

"Why not?"

"Maybe you should ask Bill, he'll know better than me"

"I suppose"

"Hey, are you going to see Bill tonight?" Carla asked.

"No, not Bill, I had a night with Bill last night, tonight i'm going to see Jessica, i might as well get to know her, specially when she's like Bill's daughter and all"

"You think i could come? I got nothing to do tonight and i'm sick of being alone here"

Sookie smiled, "Yes sure, that's fine, i doubt Bill's going to be there"

Carla smiled back at her. "Thanks Sookie"

"What are you doing today" Sookie asked Carla.

"Well i thought i'd just clean the house up a bit, and don't worry, i won't go near your grans room, that's for you to sort out" Carla winked and Sookie nodded.

"Thanks" She said.

"What're you doing then Sookie?" Carla asked, draining half of her coffee.

"I need to speak to Tara, so i'm gonna head in to Merlotte's, then i need to go to the store and get some groceries, then i'm heading over to Bill's"

"Well, just give me an hours notice about when you'll be going over there and i'll get ready" Sookie nodded and grabbed her bag.

"See you later Carla" She said as she walked towards the front door.

"Bye, have fun!" Carla said, finishing her coffee.

* * *

Sookie got home late from the store saying she had had a long conversation with Tara and the woman she was staying with, called Maryann, apparently Sookie had a strange feeling that this woman wasn't quite normal.

"When i tried to listen in on her, it just sounded like chanting voices in her head, i don't know what it was, but it was really damn weird" Sookie explained as they walked across the cemetery.

"Well, what did she look like?" Carla asked.

"Kinda tall, brown hair, pale, she looked a bit old, like late thirties maybe"

"Weird? she sounds pretty normal to me, apart from the pale part, of course" Sookie laughed.

Sookie let herself in through the front door when they arrived at Bill's, she had a key for the house now, so she locked the door behind her.

"Hello?" Sookie called. Jessica came round the corner and strode up to Sookie, but she stopped when she noticed Carla.

"Who's this?"

"Oh, hi, i'm Carla" Carla held out her hand, and Jessica hesitantly came forward and shook it. "I live with Sookie, i'm a friend of Bill's too" Jessica smiled at her, but the smile faded quickly, as if she had just remembered something terrible.

"Sookie, i just saw my parents on the TV"

"Oh, i'm sorry" Sookie said, frowning.

"No, i finally get why they didn't want me to watch it in the first place, it's horrible"

Carla chuckled, and Sookie glared at her.

"Um... Where's Bill?"

"I don't know, all he told me was Jessica, i have errands to run, errands that do not require your presence, so you will remain here and do you best to stay out of trouble while i'm gone... I hate it here! I hate it so much!"

"Typical Bill" Carla said, rolling her eyes.

Jessica stormed off into the lounge and slouched on the sofa, Sookie and Carla followed her, Sookie sat next to her and Carla opposite. Jessica started sobbing into one of the cushions.

"I kinda miss them" Jessica said, while sniffling.

"Your parents?" Sookie asked.

Jessica nodded, "And my little sister, and i was totally horrible to her" Jessica said, starting to cry blood.

"I was just such a brat" Jessica said, blood trailing down her face from her eyes, as tears, Jessica wiped her face and noticed it was blood.

"What's wrong with me?" she said.

"Sweetie vampires don't cry regular tears, so when you cry you're going to cry blood from now on" Sookie told her.

Carla got up and handed Jessica a tissue from her pocket, she wiped away the tears with it.

"Why do you know that and i don't? Don't you think i should know this?" Jessica asked Sookie.

"Bill should probably have told you" Sookie anwered.

"Listen, Bill's very new to this, you're his first, and he wasn't exactly ready to bring you up, you gotta understand that this is hard on him too"

Jessica nodded.

"I think i know how you feel, at least just a little bit" Sookie said to Jessica.

"No you don't" She answered. Carla sat down on the coffee table still opposite Jessica.

"I know it's not the same, but i lost my gran a few weeks ago, and she was everything to me and now she's gone"

"But grandparents are supposed to die while you alive, and with me i'm the one that's dead" Jessica explained.

"I doesn't matter who's dead, when people love each other, and one of them's missing, it's the distance that hurts"

"What do you do when it's so bad you can;t stand it?"

"I just go into her room for a spell and sit there"

"And that helps?"

"I don't know why, but just being somewhere, where she's been, makes me feel better"

"Do you think that you could drive me to my parents so that-"

"Alright i did not mean to, you know i can't do that"

"Oh please, i would just sit in the car, i swear, all i'm asking is to sit across the street and catch a glimpse of them in the window... just so i can say good bye"

"I'm sorry, it's just not my place" Carla stayed out of the conversation, she was unsure of what to say, but she thought the idea was definitely a bad one. "But maybe if you explain it to Bill-"

"Are you really sure about that?" Jessica interupted her, "Because i'm not so sure he would"

"Okay" Sookie gave in after a short moment.

"Really?" Jessica asked.

"No, Sookie, this is a very stupid idea" Carla told her.

"We're just driving by, and that's it, you need a change of clothes, because you can't go out in that" Sookie told Jessica.

"Sookie, listen to me, this is not your place and you know how Bill will react to this" Carla complained.

"Carla, you can either come or stay here, but either way, i am going"

"Sookie..."

* * *

Next thing Carla knew she was sat in a car across from Jessica's house.

"My mamma and sister should be home, but my Daddy's still at work" she explained.

"Jessica?"

"Yeah Sookie?"

"I'm sorry"

"Why are you crying?" Jessica asked, looking back at Sookie.

"Because i did this too you, if Bill hadn't-"

"No Sookie, this is my fault" Carla butted in. "If i had been strong enough to kill Longshadow myself, i would have had to deal with the consequences, not you"

"I don't blame anyone" Jessica said, glancing at the two of them. "How is that even possible?"

Jessica suddenly saw someone at the window of the house. "That's my sister!" Jessica ran from the car, and knocked at the door.

"Shit!" Carla and Sookie got out of the car as fast as possible, rushing after her.

Carla grabbed Jessica by the arm and pulled her away from the door, be i swung open before they could get far enough away.

"Jessica?!" Jessica's mother ran out, and hugged her daughter tight, her sister came to the door, and did the same.

"Eden, call Daddy, tell him that Jessica's come home" The little girl ran away into the house.

"Are you gonna invite us in?" Jessica asked, smiling.

"No, no, we cannot stay here, we need to go" Carla said, trying to get Jessica away.

"Ridiculous! Come on in and i'll make you a tea!" Jessica's mum said, pulling them inside.

Jessica's mother sat the three of them down and went to make tea and sandwiches, and shortly after Jessica's father came home.

"Jessica?! Jessica?!" He came storming into the house, and shouting down at Jessica. "How could you do that Jessica?! To your mother! We were all so worried about you! WHY JESSICA? WHY? TELL ME OR I WILL MAKE YOU TELL ME!" Jessica pushed the back back against the wall with ease, and he looked surprised.

"Or what Daddy? You gonna get your belt out? Give me a good beating?" Jessica unsheathed her fangs.

"How could you let some dead man bite you like that?!"

"I didn't let anyone do anything to me!"

"Jessica, don't do anything you will regret..." Carla warned.

"Do what? Kill Daddy, he beat me and my little sister, and Mamma never did nothing about it,because she's too damn dumb to know anything, he deserved to die, and i'm gonna end it. And i'm doing it with your belt Daddy" Jessica grabbed the man's belt and pinned him against the wall.

Carla couldn't stand back and watch any longer. She grabbed the belt from Jessica's hands and pinned her against the wall, stopping her from moving.

"That is far enough!" Jessica hissed, but she couldn't move.

Not a second later the front door of the house crashed down, Bill must have sensed Sookie's fear.

"Jessica, as your maker i command you to not touch anyone in the room!" Bill screamed, and Jessica stopped struggling, so Carla let her go.

"Thank god you're here!" Sookie said to Bill.

"Shut up!" Bill yelled back, and Sookie closed her mouth, "Someone who lives here must invite me in! You! Little girl! Come over here" Bill glamoured the little girl.

"It's okay little girl, i am here to help, everything will be okay now, i promise, now please invite me in"

"Oh won't you come in sir" The little girl asked Bill, who ran inside.

"Carla! Take Sookie, get outside and wait in the car" Carla did so without saying anything, Sookie complained, but Carla dragged her outside into the car, Carla was in the front passenger seat and Sookie was in the back, no-one spoke.

* * *

Bill was driving down the road at a dangerously high speed, specially in Sookie's old car, which Carla half expected to fall apart at any second.

"Stop the car Bill, you're scaring me going this fast!" Sookie shouted over the sound of the engine spluttering.

Bill pulled over into the lay by and stopped the car, Jessica was sobbing in the back.

"I'm sorry, she promised she was just going to look in the window, i know i made a mistake"

"She is a vampire, she has no family anymore, you undermined my authority going to take her to see them!"

"I'm going to be alone forever because of you!" Jessica cried.

"Shut up Jessica!" Bill told her.

"You risked those people's saftey and your own, if i have not glamoured them all within a inch of their sanity, everything would have come crashing down around us!"

"I know! I'm sorry!" Sookie shouted back at him.

"You keep saying that, and i am expected to what? Forget it ever happened?"

"You know what, i am going to walk back to Bon Temps, because quite frankly, i cannot stand another second of your fighting!" Carla climbed out of the car and started walking down the road. Sookie climbed out too.

"I'm coming with you, i can't stand another second either" She told Carla, and they both started walking down the road.

"Both of you stop being ridiculous! Bon Temps is 20 miles away!" Bill shouted after them, but they didn't stop walking. Bill got back in the car and shut the door.

Sookie turned the corner down the road that lead to Bon Temps, and they heard a strange rustling around them.

"Hello?" Sookie said, worried that there was something in the trees around them.

"Nice work Bill, but it ain't working, we are not getting back in that car with you" Carla said, continuing to walk.

The rustling got louder and then it become footsteps behind them, they both stopped waling and turned around, seeing the road was occupied with the form of a half human, half bull like form, with huge horns and long sharp claws at the end of it's fingers.

It began running after the two, and they ran too, away from it.

As it caught up, Carla looked over her shoulder and saw that it was running for Sookie, and it was going to get to her in moments.

Carla jumped onto Sookie to protect her from the thing, prevent it from hitting her, she felt the claws drag down her back, she screamed at the intense pain.

The beast ran off into the trees, and away from the road, Sookie moved underneath her, but Carla found that she was completely unable to move.

Sookie pushed Carla off of her, and she screamed in pain.

"Carla? What's wrong? What happened?" Then Sookie noticed the scratches, and the amount of blood on the woman's back.

Bill arrived in seconds, and pulled Carla up onto his lap.

"What did this to her?" He asked Sookie.

"Some sort of Bull human thing, it was huge, it ran after us and it was coming for me, she saved me, please Bill, give her your blood, before she bleeds out!" Bill did just that, biting into his own arm, and Carla had no choice but to take the blood.

But as soon as the blood touched her lips, her body started to convulse and she started throwing up.

Bill yelled for Jessica to get the car, as Carla drifted in and out of consciousness.

* * *

Carla opened her eyes and saw Eric standing behind a short lady who was pulling gloves on, Carla felt barely alive, everything below her back was numb, and her arms refused to move.

Carla's eyes fixed on Eric, she might have been mistaken, but for a few seconds, she though she saw the slightest amount of worry in the mans eyes.

"What's happening?" Carla managed, feeling dizzy.

"You've been hurt, you were attack by something, and it cut you up real bad, this lady is gonna try and help you" Sookie explained, and Carla noticed her at the end of the couch she was sitting on.

"It's almost like she's been bitten by a kamodo dragon, they bite their prey and the poison on their teeth slowly eats away at your nervous systems so you can barely move, and then they track you and eat you alive, i'm afraid we have few options" the little woman explained.

"I need you two to give us some privacy, i need to take off her clothes" she added. Bill and Eric left the room, Sookie stayed, to help hold Carla down.

The woman cut off Carla's shirt and opened a bottle of liquid, and began pouring it on her back.

The pain was worse than bamboo being force underneath your finger nails, worse than pressing a hot iron on the sole of your foot, worse than anything Carla had ever felt in her life, and that was saying something.

Carla screamed her lungs out, and she tried to get up, convulsing in pain.

Suddenly she felt the heavy hands of someone who wasn't Sookie, whoever it was, held her down with such a great force that she couldn't move.

The woman put her hands into the wounds, cleaning out the infection, Carla guessed, that was even worse than the disinfectant.

Once the doctor was finished, she started packing away her things.

"You can give her blood now, her body should accept it" She told them, walking out of the club with her things.

Sookie looked at Bill, who went to bit his wrist, but Eric clutched it.

"My blood is much stronger, allow me" He said, releasing the man's wrist.

"No way Eric, let Bill do it" Sookie complained, but Carla pulled herself up shakily from the sofa, steadying herself on one of the bar's chairs.

"No" Carla said, looking at the three of them, her back still painful and bleeding slightly. "No blood, i can wait for the morning" Carla said, barely able to take the pain of just standing.

"Don't be stupid, Carla, we both know that you're in too much pain to last that long" Eric said and Carla tumbled backwards, her legs giving way. Eric used his vampire speed to catch her in mid air, his arm around her tummy, he sat down with her in his lap.

Carla barely had the strength to move now. "No blood" She begged, looking up at Eric, who had a giant grin on his face.

Eric bit down on his wrist and put in at Carla's lips, she didn't have the energy to push him away, so she drank from him.

Eric's blood was like the sweetest, most beautiful serene taste Carla had ever had on her tongue, in caressed her senses and put her in a state of bliss, Carla shuffled back into Eric's lap, cuddling into his shoulder and falling into a peaceful sleep.

* * *

Carla woke up first, she sat up on the sofa and stretched out her muscles, she felt, different, stronger than before, more powerful, she looked down at her hands and realized that something was very wrong.

Those were not her hands.

She shot up straight and looked down at her body, that wasn't hers either.

She spotted a mirror on the bar and ran for it, when she saw her reflection, she took a double take.

Carla wasn't staring back at her.

Eric was staring back at her.

She was wearing the same shorts for last night, but her shirt was one that read 'Fangtasia' on the front, in an XXL size, it swamped even Eric's body.

Carla didn't know this is what happened when she drank vampire blood, after all, she had never drunk any vampire blood, now she looked like Eric.

"Shit" she said, then she gasped, she even sounded like Eric.

Sookie came walking in from the back, and screamed at Carla.

"Eric?! What the are you doing up, and in Carla's clothes? What the hell did you do to Carla?"

"Sookie, no, it's not Eric, i'm Carla! I swear!"

"Bull crap!" She shouted at Carla.

"No really!" Carla spotted a set of keys on the counter, they must have been for the front door. Carla grabbed them and unlocked the door, stepping outside into the sunlight.

"See! It's me, Carla!" Sookie looked so surprised she might faint.

Carla came back inside the bar and locked the door behind her.

"How did this happen, Carla?" Sookie questioned.

"I don't know Sookie! It must have been the blood that Eric gave me! Hell, i don't even know if i am stuck like this!" Carla sat down on the sofa.

"Oh you're awake!" Ginger suddenly screamed. "Eric?! What are you doing awake?! I saw you go to bed last night!" Ginger screamed again.

"Ginger, this isn't Eric, this is Carla" Sookie tried to explain, but suddenly Sookie tilted her head to the side, she mist have heard something from the woman.

"Lafayette? You have Lafayette in the basement!" Sookie suddenly ran behind the bar and grabbed a gun from under the cash register, aiming it at Ginger.

"Take me to Lafayette!" She ordered the woman.

Ginger took them down into the basement, where they saw Lafayette chained to a metal bar contraption. Sookie ran to him.

"Lafayette? Lafayette? Are you okay?" She asked him.

"Do i look like a vampire?" He asked.

"You look half dead" Carla said, completely forgetting that she looked like Eric, Lafayette gasped and recoiled. Carla stepped back.

"Hey, Lafayette, it's me, Carla, i'll explain later, but i am not Eric, and i am certainly not here to hurt you" Lafayette looked unsure of whether to trust her.

"It's true Lafayette, its the day, so Eric's asleep, there's just been a little problem and Carla's looking like Eric for a little while"

"I don't believe this shit man" Lafayette said, so Carla leaned down a broke the chain that was keeping him tied to the metal. Carla then picked up Lafayette in her arms and carried him up to the sofa she had laid on, setting him down so Sookie could clean and redress his wounds with the materials they had to do so, alcohol and dish cloths.

When Bill rose from his sleep, he came and give Sookie a hug, asking her if she was still angry with her about the previous night.

"No, Bill, that doesn't matter, i mean i'm safe and in one piece, which is more than what i can say for my friend Lafayette, who Eric has been keeping in his basement for the last three weeks! I swear Bill Compton to better not know anything about this or i might just never be able to forgive you"

"I have no idea what you are talking about" Bill said, looking confused.

When Eric woke, Carla could see through his eyes at the back of her head, she knew what he was thinking, what he was feeling, what he was doing, and where he was, it was like having another person in the same brain space, it was highly distracting and uncomfortable.

Eric then appeared from one of the doors, shutting it behind him with a slam. Carla ran towards him, which felt faster than she thought it would.

"I said no fucking blood, and what do you do? Give me your blood! You fucking idiot!" Carla screamed in his face, pinning him against the wall, Carla was still stuck looking like Eric, but her eyes had began to fade, they were now their usual color. "I am so fucking angry at you i could kill you!" Carla growled, but let him go, stepping away from him.

"Well it's good to see you are back to normal, and i must say, it's like looking into a mirror" Eric said, jokingly.

"This is not the time to joke Eric" Carla warned, rubbing her temples.

"I imagine that Miss Stackhouse is referring to the human in my basement who traded sexual favors with a vampire in exchange for selling his blood, which you know, is a grave offense" Eric turned to Sookie.

"His name, is Lafayette, and you should be ashamed for what you did to him" Sookie slapped he vampire clean across the face. "Go to hell!" Sookie added.

"Sookie, that's enough!" Bill said, trying to stop Sookie from getting in trouble.

"No Bill, it's not nearly enough!" She told Bill. "They've tortured him and bitten him and shot him and kept him down there in his own filth for weeks!" Sookie shouted in Eric's face.

"Is this true?" Bill asked Eric.

"There are those that would have done much worse and you know" Eric said, brushing it off.

"You're gonna let him go, right now, or i am going to the police!" Sookie threatened.

Eric loomed over Sookie, his fangs exposed. "I do not respond well to threats!" He shouted at her. Carla stepped between the two, glaring at Eric.

"But we can work out a deal, please, step into my office" Eric said, glancing at Carla, who followed behind him.

* * *

Eric took a few hours to explain that a vampire sheriff in the Dallas area had gone missing, and that he wanted to take Sookie and use her abilities to find the vampire. And it would be payment for his helping Carla last night. He claimed he would pay all of the expenses and let Lafayette go. This is what Eric had wanted Carla to ask Sookie about two weeks back, but Sookie had refused to come, and now he was asking her again.

"And i want fie thousand dollars" Sookie said, explaining that she had missed a lot of work.

"Your human's getting cocky Bill" Eric said, standing behind his desk, Carla was on the other side of the desk, leaning on the wall with her arms crossed.

"She will take ten thousand, and i will escort her" Bill added to Sookie's demand.

"I don't think so, no" Eric grumbled.

"Yes, ten thousand and Bill comes with me or it's a deal breaker" Sookie laid out the land for Eric, who cocked his head to the side, thinking about it.

"Fine" Eric agreed, and spoke into the machine on his desk.

"You surprise me, that is a rare quality in a breather" Eric told Sookie.

"You disgust me"

"Maybe it'll grow on you"

"I'd prefer cancer"

Bill blinked quickly, as if holding back laughter.

"You need to leave immediately, i will make the travel arrangements, i just need your credit card number" Bill said, as the door was opened and Lafayette was thrown on the floor. Sookie helped him up.

"Such a shame, i was hoping i could convince Eric to let me keep you" Pam said, who had thrown Lafayette through the door.

"Hate to tell you but you ain't exactly my type, bitch" Lafayette said to Pam.

"Can i kick him?" Pam asked.

"You can try" Bill threatened.

"Enough, have Chow get their car" Pam turned and left the office.

Eric crouched down next to Lafayette, "I'll see you around i'm sure"

"Oh don't bet on it baby, i'm retiring, i'm done with you dead folk"

Eric winked at him and stood up straight, Bill picked Lafayette up.

"Book for the three of you, i will deal with the hotel" Eric said, before Bill left carrying Lafayette, and Sookie followed.

Carla felt a wave of tingling come over her and she looked down at herself, her hands were now hers again.

"Oh what a shame, i was getting used to admiring myself without looking in a mirror" Eric joked. Carla turned to him,

"What did you mean book for the three of us?" Carla asked.

"It means you're coming too"

* * *

The next night they arrived at the Dallas airport, Bill had decided to take Jessica along too, so there was four of them in total.

As they were unloading, Sookie and Carla came down the steps from the plane and saw the limo, the driver was holding a card saying 'Compton party' Carla and Sookie went to meet them.

"Hey, weren't you too meant to be touching down before night?" the limo driver asked, looking nervous.

"We were delayed at take off" Carla explained with a smile.

"Do you two wanna get inside the limo? I've got the AC cranked up in there" the limo driver offered.

"No thanks, we can wait" Sookie said, the limo driver kept glancing over at the forklift that was removing the travel coffins from the plane.

Sookie screamed and the limo driver snatched for her, Carla clutched the man by the throat, and pinned him to the car roof. She heard the clicking off something close to her, but she couldn't tell what it was, before she turned to Sookie, who gasped.

"What is it Sookie?" Carla asked, Bill had sprung out of his travel coffin when he felt Sookie's fear, as did Jessica, all be it a little slower.

"Carla... you have... fangs" Sookie said, a little worried.

Carla handed the man to Bill and felt her teeth, indeed she did have fangs, just like a vampire.

Damn this was fucked up.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Please give me a review, i'd love to hear what you think, plus thank you guys so much for all of your kind words and support as i have been publishing these chapters, i really enjoyed writing and sharing them with you! Hope to see you back next time for another dose!**

**Another double dose in one day! :O! ;)**

**Until next time,  
**-**Shad out.**


	14. You're still human

**Welcome back! Good to see you! I loved writing this chapter, so thanks for reading it! I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter fourteen - You're still human

* * *

As soon as they arrived at the hotel, Carla collected the keys to her room and told Sookie the number, and then went up to get settled in.

The woman behind the counter said that she was in a room with a king size bed and en suite bathroom.

When Carla got in the room she couldn't help but be amazed by the sheer size of it, the rooms walls were red and the ceiling black, with a brown carpet, most of the furniture was either black or brown and the bathroom was a crisp white, as if it had never been used before.

Carla dropped her bags by the door and took out a long flowing white sundress that Sookie had given her, with black roses embroidered into it, as well as a change of underwear, and went to have a shower.

After her shower she rapped a towel around herself and headed out of the bathroom to let the steam escape, as the room have become a hot box, due to no window being in there. She decided to wait for the steam to clear before getting dressed.

She started packing her cloths away in the draws, when she heard the front door to the apartment go, Eric senses, that she had been able to ignore for most of the day, were now stronger than ever, and she knew who can come through the door.

"Eric what the are you doing in my room?" Carla asked, turning around to look at the tall blonde vampire, who was grinning while looking her up and down.

"Well this is my room too, that's why" He said, before using his vamp speed to close the space between them and pin her up against one of the posts of the four poster king size bed. "After all, you're a guest, i didn't have to pay you to come"

Carla slid to the side so she wasn't in such a close proximity to the vampire.

"That's because you're blackmailing me instead, just leave me be Eric, get another fucking room!" Carla felt her own anger rising, and she desperately tried to keep herself calm, but Eric knew how to make her angry, he was an expert at it.

"Afraid i can't now, they've filled all their empty rooms, looks like you'll have to stay with me tonight" Carla sighed, rolling her eyes at the vampire. "Who knows, maybe we can ever have some fun?" He added, smiling at her.

"It's never possible to have fun with you Eric, and neither would i ever dream of it, because you're despicable" Carla told him.

"Well if you're going to walk around with just a towel covering yourself, i don't think i will be able to stop myself"

Carla glanced down at herself, just realizing her apparel. She spun on her heel and walked back into the bathroom to get dressed.

Opening the bathroom door, she headed for the room door, deciding to go down to the bar and get a drink, just to get out of the hotel room. Eric caught her arm as she reached the door.

"Carla, please enlighten me as to why you turned into me last night?" Carla tried to make herself take a deep breath to expel her anger, but her body just refused.

"Whatever happens to me is none of your business, Eric Northman, you have absolutely no humanity left inside your cold, dead heart, and i hope, someday, someone'll drive a stake right through it" Carla's fangs made another appearance, and she felt a tingling sensation in her eyes, as they flashed the cold icy blue that mirrored Eric's. She shoved him out of the way and left the room, taking the elevator down to the bar.

* * *

A few hours after going down to the bar, and have a total of one drink of water, Carla decided to go back up to the room, she noticed that Eric had come down from the room to talk to Bill, and they were in a secluded corner of the bar.

Carla wanted to get come rest, so when she got back to the hotel room, she changed out of her dress and put on a baggy shirt.

She also took one of the blankets from the bed and and pillow, and put it on the couch, settling down for a sleep.

She drifted off pretty easily, and before she knew it she was fast asleep on the couch.

* * *

She opened her eyes and found herself standing in the hotel room again, as if she had just walked through the door, she looked around her, everything seemed the same as when she had first come in, though the lights were off and it was quite dark.

Carla wandered into the bathroom, glancing at the decor, she looked at herself in the mirror, there was a small lamp lining the upper edge of the mirror, so she could see herself looking back at her.

Abruptly, Eric's face loomed out of the darkness, and he closed his hand over Carla's mouth, so she didn't scream.

Eric leaned his head over her shoulder and kissed the corner of her mouth, Carla smiled at herself in the mirror, before turning around slowly and letting Eric kissed her on the mouth, Eric pulled her closer, so their body's were touching.

Carla let her hands wander, she dug her nails into his back with one hand and ran her fingers through his hair with the other, making the embrace more desperate and passionate.

Eric reflected her feels back at her, pinning her against the wall of the bathroom and playfully tugging on her bottom lip with his fangs.

"Eric...?" Carla said, looking up at the blonde haired, icy eyed vampire.

"Yes?" He said, smiling down at her, the light reflecting off of his fangs.

"Bite me... please" She requested, tilting her head to the side.

Eric lowered his head and kissed down from her cheek to her neck, before biting down on her flawless skin.

* * *

Carla jumped awake and found the room to be dimmed, she was sweating heavily and panting even more. She took a few deep breaths.

"Bad dream?" Eric asked, who was sitting opposite her in an armchair, Carla had not noticed him, which made her jump again.

Carla receded back into the corner of the couch, pulling the blanket with her. As the dream came rushing back to her again, her hands flew to her neck feeling for any wounds and blood that might be there, but it was clear.

"Were you watching me while i slept?" Carla asked, staring at Eric, he hair slightly damp from the amount she had been sweating.

"It was hard to ignore you considering what you were doing"

"Which was what?"

"Calling my name" Eric told her, she could hear the grin on his lips.

"Just cut my a break Eric, it's hard enough to spend every waking moment being able to see out of your eyes and know what you're thinking, as well as having nightmares about you biting me" Carla told him, pulling the blanket up and around herself.

Though the dream didn't feel much like a nightmare, and was more arousing than terrifying, Carla didn't want to tell him that.

"You can tell what i am thinking?" Eric asked, leaning forward and putting his head on two hands.

"Yes, i can" Carla said, taking some deep breaths.

"Is this normal after you drink a vampire's blood?" Eric started a full interrogation.

"I do not know, because I've never had a vampire's blood before, you're my first" Carla explained.

"First time for everything" Eric smiled, sitting back in his chair.

"What is this vampire, Godric, to you?" Carla asked now, making sure that he wasn't asking all the questions.

"This is simply a service to the vampire community, he is very strong, and i fear if humans can kidnap him, then we may all be in danger" Eric was a good liar, but lying didn't help when you could see inside someone's head.

"Unfortunately, i don't think your lies will work with me anymore" Carla told him.

"Well then, you tell me who Godric is"

"He's your maker, you haven't seen him in a while, you're worried for his safety, that's understandable, makers must be very close to their progeny's"

Eric stood up and used his vamp speed to lean over Carla, looming over at her.

"You understand nothing of what it means" He snarled at her, he pulled off his jacket and threw it on the floor and pushed off his shoes, getting into the bed.

Carla sat up for a few moments, she was completely detracted by the thoughts she could see inside Eric's head, the vampire was so worried for his maker, he bond with the vampire was so strong, he barely stopped worrying. He was very good at hiding his emotions and burying them beneath the surface. Eric had been like a closed and sealed book, now he was the same book, but open wide, and the seals torn apart, Carla could see exactly what was inside.

Carla got up from where she was sitting on the sofa, and walked over to the bed.

Eric was laid facing away from her, on his side, he was wearing a dark red tank top and black jeans, his arms and most of his neck bare and exposed, Carla wasn't sure if she'd regret what she was about to do.

Carla got onto the bed and laid behind the vampire, wrapping her arm around his waist, she tried to be the big spoon, which was hard, considering the vampire's size compared to her.

Eric didn't move her arm, he appeared not to even notice it, but she didn't move it, she snuggled up into him, and he didn't seem to move.

Carla felt the vampire calm down considerably, she wasn't sure whether he had fallen asleep, or she was helping, be she decided to rest for the night.

Carla pushed her eyes closed, ready for any dreams that her brain had prepared for her.

* * *

Carla woke up a couple of hours before sunset the next evening, and ordered some food into the room and had a meal before Eric woke up so he wouldn't have to deal with the smell.

Then she got dressed and ready for the night's events. Eric, Sookie, Bill and Carla were going to Godric's nest at sun down to speak to his assistants as sheriff, and decide on a plan to find him.

As soon as the sun went down, Eric was up and in the shower. It only took him a few minutes to finish and he wandered out to put on some fresh clothes, a black T-shirt, leather jacket and black jeans to be exact.

Carla stood up from where she was sitting on the sofa waiting for him to be finished, hanging her bag over her shoulder.

"Are you ready now?" She asked him, heading for the door.

"Yes... let's go" Eric said, with a stiff jaw. Before Carla could open the door Eric stopped her, putting his hand on the knob. "Was that you who was in bed with me last night?" He asked, looking her dead in the eye, his signature mocking smile on his face.

"Yes, of course it was me" Carla told him.

"Well, you do have a thing for me, don't you" Eric chuckled, and Carla glared at him.

"I have a thing for apples, chocolate and ice cream too, don't think yourself too special" Carla pushed his hand away and opened the door, heading out to the limo that would be transporting them.

* * *

It had been about an hour and a half, and the two vampires who were closely involved with Godric had simply been fighting with each other the whole time.

"Just take out the whole place, preemptive strike" Stan, the male, cowboy vampire suggested.

"Oh yes, and have the military bomb us back into the middle ages" Isabel, like the complete opposite of Stan, was a tall and beautiful woman, wearing all white.

"Heh, things were better back then" Stan chuckled.

"Just shut the fuck up, for the love of-" Carla yelled, but was ignored.

"Then go to Romania and live in a cave-"

Eric threw a vase against the wall, causing it to shatter and litter the carpet with shards of porcelain.

"Godric has made you rich and protected you, yet here you stand squabbling and spitting like infants!" Eric yelled at the two.

"Do neither of you care that there is a traitor in your midst?" Bill asked.

"No" Stan said.

"Impossible" Isabel added.

"Someone tried to kidnap me and Carla from the airport, he was with the fellowship, and there we should start" Sookie told them.

"You two were the only ones that knew she was coming?" Bill questioned the two fighting vampires.

"Explain" Eric said, looking volatile, he walked closer to the two vampires.

"Unless it was you" They both said at the same time to each other.

"Look, just don't start fucking fighting again, i swear to god i will loose it if you fucking start" Carla warned. Stan growled at her.

"This is what we're gonna do, i will infiltrate the fellowship of the sun, i'll pretend i wanna join, the limo driver said that they didn't know what i looked like so i'll just pose and listen in on all their thoughts" Sookie explained.

"Sookie, in the light i can't protect you" Bill informed her of the one flaw in her plan.

"I'll go with her, we can pretend to be sisters, it'll be easy enough, if anything goes wrong i can protect her" Carla said, glancing at Eric, who was staring at her.

"Fine, it is decided" Eric agreed.

"There's no point in infiltrating, when we can just drain them all, i want no part in this" Stan said, as he walked out of the room.

Eric and Bill disappeared to have a word alone, while Sookie and Isabel talked about their relationships, as Sookie was with Bill, and Isabel had a human she was with, Hugo.

Shortly after their lone conversation, the vampires decided to return to the hotel.

* * *

There are a few hours left of the night until dawn, but Carla felt exhausted and needed to keep up her strength for the next morning, she had to get some rest before then.

Sookie had decided they were going at about mid day the next day, so once Carla got back into the hotel room, she thought about getting ready for bed.

Eric, thankfully, had gone down to the bar to feed, so he wasn't with her, but because he was still close, Carla could see into his head still.

Though the image was getting fainter, Carla could see that Eric was feeding on a brown haired woman, her hair was in loose curls and she was wearing a short black dress, she was quite beautiful, but Eric was merely interested in feed on her, actually he seemed quite bored and preoccupied from what Carla could tell.

Resigning herself to not getting any rest until Eric went to ground, Carla walked back out of the hotel room and down to the bar. She knew exactly where Eric was, and went to go and meet him, but when she arrived, the human was no longer there, instead there was a vampire sitting across from Eric.

She had hair down to her shoulders, pink lipstick, and fine jewelry, her dress was long and had a black and pink pattern. They seemed to be deep in conversation, so Carla sat a few tables in front of where they were, and listened in on them.

"... Bill has something i want, and he's in the way" Eric explained.

"His human?" the woman asked, sounding surprised.

"She's something more than human"

"What is she?"

"Now that, i do not know" Eric sighed. "But whatever she is, he loves her"

"What makes you think, i want him back? That i'd even take him"

"Because you didn't come all this way just to see me" Eric explained.

"I haven't seen Bill Compton in over seventy years, surely you can't think i have any pull over him what so ever"

"I haven't seen my maker for much longer than that, and yet i am still loyal to him"

"Shame i didn't turn you... then again, you're not really my type"

Carla had heard enough, she stood up and headed for the elevator hurriedly, she jammed the button for her floor as fast as she could, she had to tell Sookie and warn Bill about what Eric was planning.

The lift dinged as she arrived at the right floor, and she rushed along the corridor. She raised her hand to knock on Sookie's door, but something caught her wrist.

She looked at Eric, who was stood next to her, stopping her from knocking on Sookie and Eric's door.

He covered her mouth before she could speak. Within a second they were back in their own room, and he let her go.

"What the fuck Eric!" Carla exclaimed.

"I can't allow you to tell Bill what my plans are, i can feel you emotions too, you know"

Carla cursed under her breath, glaring at Eric.

"What is wrong with you, Eric? Do humans only interest you when they are of use to you?"

Eric shrugged, and leaned against the back of the sofa.

"If you don't answer me, i can just look inside your head and find the answer, so fucking speak!" Carla pointed at Eric, warning him. He chuckled at her.

"Humans are food, humans that can be useful can be regarded as more than food, Sookie is special, and therefore i want her, her power if very useful, i just wish to have it to myself, i am not attracted to her in any way" Eric explained.

"I don't care if you are attracted to her or not, that's not the issue, the issue is that Sookie is a person, she is not an object to be traded and used whenever you feel like it, no-one is"

"I'm afraid that is all humans are to vampires, just like cattle are to humans"

"The difference is, cattle are not emotionally aware, humans are!"

"Bill is overly attached to Sookie, if anything happens inside that church tomorrow, he will kill every human in there to save Sookie, and you know it's true, i need Lorena to keep him here so he doesn't do anything to injure vampire relations" Eric informed her, and Carla had to agree, Bill did seem like he would go to that extreme for Sookie, unfortunately.

Eric went completely blank, assuming his look of thoughtfulness, as if he was hundreds of thousands of miles away from this place at that very moment.

Carla closed her eyes, and rubbed her face with her hands.

Something at the back of her mind caught her attention. Eric was almost in pieces, he was so worried, even terrified, he was like a child who had lost their parents, he didn't know which way to turn, he thought that Godric was dead.

Carla couldn't think twice before she had her arms around Eric's waist, and her head laying against his shoulder, tears edged their way down her cheeks.

"Please don't do that" Eric said, not making an effort to move her. "You're making me feel disturbingly human" He added, unlacing her arms from him and moving her away.

Carla wiped her eyes with her hands quickly.

"You make it seem like you were never human, but you were human, Eric Northman, just because you're a vampire doesn't mean that you can go through life without feeling anything, your humanity is still inside there, i can feel it, and i can see it, and it's beautiful and touching and lovable, don't pretend it's not there, don't hide it" Eric didn't take his eyes of hers, taking in what she was saying.

"I'm not human, and so i have no humanity" Eric muttered, standing up straight.

Carla caught the vampires arm as he walked towards the door.

"Stop!" Eric said, turned around and revealing his fangs to Carla, and snarling in her face. "Stop before a fucking eat you" He finished, before walking out.

Carla laid down on the sofa, and closed her eyes, forcing herself to sleep.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Please tell me, what do you think of my portrayal of Eric? I believe that Eric thinks he hasn't been human for an awful long time, so he hides his feelings and his humanity because he feels like a monster, so he acts like one. Anyway that's what i'm going for with this story.  
****Please R&R! I'd love to hear what you think, thanks so much for reading, hope to see you back next time!  
****-Shad out**


	15. The Church

**Welcome back and thanks for coming back! Hope you enjoy this chapter! Thanks for all of your support and kind words!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter fifteen - The Church

* * *

The next morning, Hugo, Isabel's human, Sookie and Carla all were in a car just about to arrive at the Fellowship of the Sun church in Dallas.

Isabel had offered to let Hugo accompany Sookie and Carla into the building, to make them look like a family, Carla was going to pose as Sookie's sister, and Hugo as Sookie's fiance.

As they drove into the parking lot, a woman in a matching gold skirt and jacket with the almost exactly the same color hair waved them over to her, she was wearing shades and Sookie asked why she recognized her.

Hugo explained that she was Steve Newlin's wife, and she appeared on TV a lot, her name was Sarah Newlin.

Hugo parked up in a space closest to the church and the three of them climbed out of the car.

"Hey! I saw you three drivin' up as i was sitting inside the thought i'd come out and greet you myself, i'm Sarah Newlin, nice to meet you" Sarah offered her hand to the three of them. "And who are you lot?"

"Hi! I'm Holly Simpson! I can't believe that i'm finally meeting you in person, you are as cute as a button!"

"Oh thank you" Sarah smiled at Sookie, who was definitely over playing the part. "And who's this"

"Oh sorry, this is my fiance, Rufus Thompson, you know a love that word, i almost wanna not get married so i can keep calling him it, but we are going to, get married that is" Sookie blabbered on.

"And you, miss?"

"May Simpson" Carla smiled at Sarah, speaking before Sookie could, shaking the woman's hand. "I'm Holly's sister"

"Well why don't you come on inside and meet Steve, i'm sure he's available and would just love to meet you both" Sarah said, walking beside the three of them into the church.

"For real? Reverend Newlin himself? That's be just great" Sookie grinned.

"Well, come on!"

* * *

The reverend sat behind his desk, and Sarah stood behind Steve, Sookie continued to rabbit on the whole time, she claimed out in the parking lot that she was nervous, and when she got nervous she sometimes talked to much.

Sookie spun out their fake story about Sookie and Hugo meeting at church, and not liking their pastor, and they had informed Carla about it, and she had wanted to come with them. The group were pretending to be anti-vampires to give off the right vibe.

Shortly after they explained that Sookie and Hugo wanted to get married at the church, Steve offered to show them around. They agreed to keep up appearences, and Steve took them around the church.

The three of them followed Steve, Sarah and a friend of Steve's, or so he said, called Gabe around the church. As the tour went on and on, Sookie seemed to get more and more nervous.

Carla knew that something must be wrong, and they needed to get out.

Carla looked at her watch.

"My, my, look at the time" Carla said, gasping at her watch. "Holly we've got to get back to mother, she'll be needing her lunch" Sookie turned to Carla and nodded.

"Yes, Mr Newlin, i'm afraid we have to be going now" Sookie told him, sadly.

"Oh, but there's only one last thing we need you to see and then you can go, the last bit of the church then you can say you've seen in all and make an informed decision" Steve led them into a small room with a single door, he pulled it back and let led to a stair case going downwards. "This here is my father's tomb, you can actually feel his presence down here, come on, just a little peek"

"Rufus" Sookie said, looking frightened.

"I'm sorry but Holly has a bad case of claustrophobia, and so do i, actually, i think we should stay up here" Hugo explained.

"Come on, it won't take a second just to peek" Steve encouraged.

"But we've already decided we're getting married here" Sookie told Steve, but he didn't listen.

"Gabe, Now!"

Carla turned around only to feel a sharp scratch in her shoulder muscle, then she felt dizzy and tired, and it slowly escalated.

Carla tired to ball her hands into fists, but they refused to work, her muscles disobeyed her.

Before she knew it, she was on the ground and helpless, and all she could hear was Sookie screaming.

* * *

Carla snapped her eyes open and sat up straight, Sookie was instantly by her side.

"Carla? Are you alright?" she asked, looking her up and down.

"I'm fine, i think, my back's a little sore and i feel bruised all over but whatever, what happened?"

"You've been asleep for about a day, Steve jabbed you with some sorta stuff in a syringe and then beat you up good, he threw us all in here, you've been asleep for about a day" Sookie explained to her.

Carla looked down at her body, she was black and blue and was starting to even feel dizzy.

"Did Bill not come to get you?" Carla asked, finally registering that if she had been asleep for almost a day, Bill had not come to get Sookie at night.

"No, i don't know why or what's going on" Sookie said, sighing.

Hugo hopped up from here he was sitting and started to bang on the wire mesh of the cage they were locked in.

"Hey! I need to use the bathroom!" He yelled, shaking the metal.

Sookie got up and took a bottle to him, "Here, i'll turn away" She told him, but he knocked it out of her hand.

"I don't need that, i need to get the hell out of here!" Hugo yelled in her face.

"This is not helping, look, just sit down! Try to relax!" Sookie grabbed the man's hand, and suddenly went silent.

"You" she said, after a pause. "You're the traitor" Sookie said, looking disgusted with Hugo.

Carla pulled herself up, brushing the dust off of herself.

"I used to be just like you" Hugo said, going to sit down in the corner on the box. "Thought of myself as a real emancipated thinker, specially when Isabel took me to bed, yeah the sex was... amazing, the best- Well, you know, it's addictive, isn't it, to be desired by something that powerful"

"I'm not addict" Sookie said, shaking her head.

Carla stood in the small beam of sunlight that was coming into the room via a small window, her bruises shriveled into small black dots on her skin and then faded.

"No, well i guess you wouldn't know how your life changes to suit them, start missing work, can't get up in the morning, can't stand to leave them after dark, before you know it you're somebody you don't even recognize" Hugo explained.

"So you went to the Fellowship because you can't control yourself?" Sookie asked.

"I begged her to turn me, it was the only way that we could be together, as equals, but they like you when you're weaker than them, they don't want us to be equals, she just used me, like Bill is using you"

"You don't know Bill"

"I know he and his friends are having you do their dirty work, i mean a telepath's gotta be a real trophy for a vampire"

"Shut up!" Sookie shouted at him.

"All they're about is their own kind, that's why i joined the fellowship"

"Hugo, shut the fuck up" Carla said, glaring at the man. "Bill and Sookie are completely and utterly different from you and Isabel, besides, shows how much the fellowship cares about you when they've got you locked in a cage in the basement with the rest of us, you're nothing but a fang-banging traitor to them"

Hugo sat quietly alone from that point on, and Carla walked over to Sookie.

"Sookie, i seed your help with something" Carla said, sitting down in front of the telepath.

"What?"

"I just need to borrow some of your power, just hold onto my hands, i'll try and get to Eric" Carla took Sookie's hands.

"Is this going to make me pass out again?" Sookie asked. Carla shook her head.

"No, i promise" Carla squeezed the girls hands.

Carla closed her eyes and concentrated on using Sookie's telepathy and sending a message through Carla and Eric's connection.

She closed her eyes, and focused on the thoughts in the back of her mind that weren't even her own, she felt a jolt go through her, and her head started to hurt excruciatingly.

"Carla?" Sookie said, disturbing her. "Are you okay?"

Carla opened her eyes and nodded.

"Yeah, but i don't think anything got through" Carla said, sighing. "We'll just have to wait for night fall and see"

A few hours later the sun went down and then Gabe came through one of the doors in the wall opposite the cage, he walked to the gate in the cage and unlocked it.

"Hey, Gabe, she knows everything, so i hope that Steve knows that i'm gonna need protection from now on" Hugo explained. "What happened to your face?" he asked, and Gabe attacked him, punching him heavily in the face until he shriveled to the ground.

"STOP!" Sookie yelled, jumping on the man's back, and he bashed her body against the shelves in the cell. Pinning her against them and strangling her.

Carla pulled the man away from Sookie, making him let her go, she punched him square in the nose, and he lurched forward, punching her in the ribs. Carla didn't let it affect her and kicked the man in the stomach, sending him back winded, he fell to the floor. Carla was on him in seconds, kicking him in the chest with all the force she could muster, but he grabbed her by the ankle and tiwsted it painfully, causing her fall forward and catch the side of her rib cage on the door frame of the metal cage, cracking a rib.

She rolled over so she was on her back, and tried the shuffle backwards away from the man, but he grabbed her ankle and pulled her back into him.

Within half of a second, Gabe was plucked from the floor and help squirming in the air by a short muscular boy, he looked no older than fourteen or fifteen.

"Godric?" Sookie and Carla asked at the same time.

Godric snapped the man's neck with a flick of his wrist, and dropped his corpse to the ground.

He looked from Carla to Sookie. "You should not have come" He told them.

Suddenly there was commotion from upstairs, screams and panicked voices bled through the floor boards that separated the two floors of the building.

"Bill?" Sookie said, getting up from where she was sitting on the floor.

"No" Godric said, closing his eyes. "I am here my child, down here"

Carla also felt the intensifying thoughts at the back of her head as Eric got closer.

Eric ran down into the basement, seeing Godric, and then walked towards him, kneeling before him.

Carla pulled herself up, holding her side, the pain was aching but not too bad, though it was a distraction.

"You were a fool for sending humans after me" Godric said down at his progeny.

"I had no other choice, these, savages, they seek to destroy you" Eric explained, looking up at his maker.

Carla noticed the markings on Godric's skin, she recognized them, but she knew that this was not the time for chit chat, and kept quiet.

"I am aware of what they have planned" Godric told him, looking up phased by knowing this.

"This one betrayed you" Godric explained, glancing down at Hugo, who was unconscious.

"It was a trap, he was with the fellowship" Sookie explained.

"How long has it been since you have fed?" Eric asked, Godric, ignoring Sookie and Carla completely.

"I require very little blood anymore" Godric said, turning back to his progeny.

Suddenly an alarm started sounding, and everyone looked around to make sure no-one was coming.

"Save the humans, go on" Godric told his progeny, Eric looked confused.

"I am not leaving your side unti-"

"I can take care of myself" Godric informed Eric.

"Come on Eric, we have to go" Carla said, heading for the door.

"Spill no blood on your way out" Godric said, and Eric got up, leading the two women out.

When they reached the top of the stairs, the door was guarded by three guards with stakes.

"I could have you out in seconds" Eric told them.

"There's kids out there!" Sookie said.

"Those humans won't harm us"

"Why didn't you bring Bill with you?" Sookie asked.

"Because Bill is overly attached, he would go to insane lengths to make sure that you were safe, i doubt he wouldn't kill children to make sure you were safe" Carla butted in, shuffling closer to the door so she could get a look. "I can deal with this" Carla told Eric, about to walk out into the room, but Eric caught her arm.

"No, Godric told me to get you out alive, i'm not going to risk it" Eric said, pushing her back next to Sookie.

"Good to know you have so much faith in me" Carla narrowed her eyes at him, and he walked out into the hallway.

Eric quickly knocked out all of the men guarding the entrance, and looked out of the front doors.

Carla and Sookie came running over to Eric, and he stepped back inside the church.

"Those arrows are wood" one of the men said, who was leaning against the wall, disarmed by Eric. "You'll never make it through"

"Eric! Through the sanctuary" Sookie said, leading them back into the main section of the church, with the pews and the alter.

They hurried up the isle, Sookie and Carla having to jog to keep up with Eric's huge stride.

"Where's the exit?" Eric asked, looking around.

"That way" Sookie and Carla said together.

"There are several exits actually, for you, the easiest one takes you straight to hell" Steve Newlin said, walking around the alter and standing in front of it, looking at the three of them.

Carla stepped forward, about to punch the lights out of him. But Eric stopped her.

"No bloodshed" He said, and Carla stepped back.

Three doors around them were thrown open, and hordes of people carrying silver, chains, stakes, bows and arrows and guns all walked in, surrounding them.

"Let us go!" Sookie yelled at Steve. "Save yourselves! No-one has to die!"

"The war has begun, you evil whore of Satan, you vampires cast the first stone by killing my family, the lines have been drawn, you're either with us, or against us. We are prepared, for Armageddon"

"The vampire you were holding got away, he's a sheriff, he's bound to send help" Sookie continued.

"I'm not concerned with Godric" Steve shrugged. "Any vampire'll do for out grand celebration, and we got one right here"

Carla looked at Eric, who was staring down at her. She shook her head at him, standing in front of him as to prevent him from going up to the alter, and protect him from Steve.

Eric put his hand on Carla's shoulder.

"I'll be fine" He said, giving himself up.

Carla ran forward to stop him, but was grabbed by some of the mob. "No, ERIC!" She screamed, but he didn't turn.

"Brother's and sisters, there will be a holy bonfire at dawn!" Steve shouted, silvering Eric to the alter, his fangs extended, and his skin burned, Carla pulled against the man holding her, but he thumped her in the ribs, where one of them was already cracked. She cried out in pain and fell to her knees, Eric snarled.

Steve Newlin laughed.

"Pick her up and make her watch her vampire suffer, fucking Satan worshiping slut" One of the men did as he said, pulling her head back by her hair, forcing her to stand a watch.

"I gave myself for Godric's freedom, as well as the two girls" Eric said, but Steve shook his head.

"Oh, how noble, but they are as much to blame as you, we should strap them to you, and you'll all burn together" Steve mocked.

Commotion ensued outside, and Bill ran into the hall. "SOOKIE!" He yelled. Running towards her. But Steve held a gun to Sookie's head, making Bill stop moving.

"If you shoot her, everyone here will die!" Bill threatened, his fangs exposed. "Let her go now!"

"Honestly, what do they see in you? Sodiers, some silver chains for our friend here" Steve said.

Enough.

Carla tore herself away from the men, and ran towards the alter.

She caught the chains that weakened Eric with her hand, yanking most of them off of him.

Steve Newlin turned on his heel and shot at Carla, catching her in the chest, just below her right breast.

Carla leaned back against the alter, he energy completely spent, pushing down on the wound to try and stop the bleeding.

"Newlin!" Someone yelled from the other side of he mob and the room, there was a shot, and Steve cried out in pain, dropping his gun. Everyone gasped and backed away from Steve. "Let her go, fuckwad!" Jason Stackhouse called, before shooting him in the forehead with another paintball round.

Bill ran forward and pushed the men away from Sookie, Carla reached up and pulled the last chain off of Eric's arm, setting him free.

Eric shot up from the alter and grabbed Steve by the neck, slamming him down against the steps up to the alter.

"Eric" Carla gasped, trying to ignore the pain. "No bloodshed" She repeated back to him.

"Kill the motherfucker!" Jason yelled.

"God ahead! Martyr us! Martyr us before god! We are willing to die!" Steve begged Eric.

Immediately, Stan and a band of other Dallas vampires walked through the double doors into the hall.

"Steve Newlin, you pushed us to far, you expect us to sit on our thumbs while you round up your men to come lynch us? We'll kill ya first, same way we did your father" Stan admitted.

"Murderer!" Steve yelled from under Eric's hold.

"Destroy them! All of them!" Stan yelled, and all the vampires sped into the horde of humans and grabbed themselves a meal, Eric let Steve go and stood up straight.

"Enough!" A voice came from the back of the church, everyone looked, and saw Godric. "You came for me i assume, underling?" Godric asked, talking to Stan.

"Yes sheriff" he replied.

"These people have not harmed me, you see? We can coexist... Mr Newlin? I do not wish to create bloodshed where none is called for, help me set an example, if we leave you in peace, will you do the same.

"I will not negotiate, with sub humans!" Steve replied, he got up on his knees in front of Eric, pulling his collar down to reveal his neck. "Kill me, do it, Jesus will protect me"

"I am actually older than your Jesus, i wish i could have known him, but i missed it" Godric told him, using his speed to get down from the balcony in seconds. He grabbed Steve by the back of his shirt, and lifted him to his feet.

"Good people, who of you is willing to die for this man's madness?" Godric asked, and no-one spoke up. "That's what i thought, stand down everyone" all of the vampires let go of their humans, and retracted their fangs. "People, go home, it's over now"

Sookie hugged Bill tightly, burying her head in his chest.

Steve started begging the humans not to leave him, as they all continued to file out of the hall.

"I dare say my faith in human kind is stronger than yours" Godric told him. "Come" Godric ordered Stan and the rest of the vampires to follow him.

Eric ran over to Carla, who was leaning back against the alter, still trying to staunch the bleeding.

"I'm fine" Carla told him, getting pale. Eric shook his head at her and bit into his wrist, and pulled Carla's hand away from the wound, letting his blood flow into the bullet wound, it healed quickly, and Carla's eyes mirrored the color of Eric's, but she didn't transform into Eric this time.

Eric picked Carla up in his arms and carried her out of the church, only a few steps behind Godric.

* * *

**Thanks for reading, i hope you enjoyed this chapter, please leave me a review and tell me what you thought!  
****Eric and Carla are going to continue to get closer throughout the coming chapters.**

-**Shad out.**


	16. Bomber

**Here's your two update Tuesday! Please review!**

**Hey! Welcome back! I hope you enjoy this one! Thank you so much for coming back and all the support this fic is receiving! I love writing it, so i am happy that you guys like reading it! This chapter will see Godric and Carla talk about their similarities and differences, in terms of what they both are, surprise incoming! Enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter sixteen - Bomber

* * *

Once they all arrived back at the nest, Godric sat in one of the corners, surrounded by two body guards, everyone came over to pay their respects to him, everyone was happy to see him back and well.

Carla and Sookie changed out of their clothes, and came down to join the party as well.

The nest was full of vampires and humans alike all talking and having a good time.

Carla waited patiently across the room from Godric, she was waiting for the people to disperse so she could go and have a private word with him about the markings on his body.

Unfortunately there was still a long line of people waiting to see him, so Carla just observed quietly.

Eric had abandoned her as soon as they had gotten back, and Sookie had gone to try and talk to Bill alone, though he was constantly avoiding the inevitable questions she would have.

Eric caught Carla's eye, she hadn't seen him around the party until now. Jason Stackhouse walked away from Godric, after having spoke to him, but Eric blocked his path, his looming form making Jason look nervous.

Carla pushed herself away from the wall, and went to break the two up, knowing that what Eric was saying couldn't be good, something about the V Jason had been in a few weeks back, no doubt.

Carla tapped Eric's shoulder, and he turned around.

"I need to speak with you in private, if that's okay with you, Jason?" Carla said, blinking at the muscular human man.

"Y-yeah, no problem" Jason said, pushing past Eric to escape.

Eric had his signature little grin on his face.

"You've been avoiding me all evening, why?" Carla said, blinking at the vampire.

"No reason" Eric said, about to walk away.

Carla caught his arm. Eric shook it off.

"There is a reason, tell me"

Eric leaned over the woman, looking down into her face.

"You make me feel disturbingly human, please remove yourself from my company" Eric said, a little bit of a snarl in his voice. Eric left, leaving Carla standing there frustrated.

Carla glanced over her shoulder and saw he was going to join Bill and Sookie, which made her bite the end of her tongue. She was starting to despise this obsession he had with her.

Carla saw that Godric was mostly alone, so she walked to meet him, she held out her hand to the vampire, and he took it, light green energy sparked at the end of her fingertips. Godric looked surprised.

"I never thought i'd see another druid outside, you're the first" Carla smiled at the vampire.

"As you are mine" Godric replied. Carla sat down on her knees in front of the vampire, taking her hand back.

"May i ask how old you are?" Carla questioned, and Godric nodded with a smile.

"Two thousand years old" Godric replied.

"Wow, they said the organisation was old, but i think i underestimated quite how hold they meant" Carla said, clasping her hands together.

"Where are your markings?" Godric asked, studying the sections of Carla's flesh that were exposed, which was around her neck and her arms, her legs were covered by the long black and red dress she was wearing, it as patterned with birds.

"We choose to hide them now" Carla raised her hand and traced a line just underneath her clavicles. Green energy sparked in her finger again, and a black marking, the exact same as Godric's appeared around where her finger had traced, it disappeared a moment later.

"What are you doing so far away from home?" Godric asked, giving a small smile.

"Well..." Carla sighed, her eyes glazing over slightly. "I had a child" Godric nodded.

"I was banished when i became a vampire, it is forbidden"

"Like most things"

"Does Eric know what you are? You are his human, are you not?" Godric asked.

"No, he doesn't know, and i am not his human" Carla explained.

"Oh? You should be, you two seem good together, he cares for you" Godric smiled down at Carla. Carla shook her head and sighed.

"I find it hard to think he does, the way he acts says otherwise" Carla told Godric, pulling her knees to her chest.

"I believe that is the way he wants you to feel because he cannot grasp why you do not react to him with contempt and hate, those emotions he is used to, where as he is not used to care and kindness"

"Oh? You should be, you two seem good together, he cares for you" Godric smiled down at Carla. Carla shook her head and sighed.

"I find it hard to think he does, the way he acts says otherwise" Carla told Godric, pulling her knees to her chest.

"I believe that is the way he wants you to feel because he cannot grasp why you do not react to him with contempt and hate, those emotions he is used to, where as he is not used to care and kindness"

Carla took a moment to think about that.

"Is Eric always so hard to get along with?"

"Mostly, yes" Godric smiled, he stood up from his chair and took Carla's hand, picking her up as well. "But once you get past the rough exterior, he is loving and loyal"

Carla hugged Godric, and he went rigid for a moment, not knowing how to react, but then he patted Carla's back. They pulled away from one another as Isabel came striding over to Godric, she held Hugo's shirt in her hand, and dropped him in front of the sheriff.

"This is the one who betrayed us" Isabel said, tears in her eyes.

"Hugo? He is your human, is he not?" Godric asked, looking from the man kneeling on the ground to Isabel.

"Yes he is" Isabel replied.

"Do you love him?"

"I... I-I thought i did" Isabel said, starting to cry again. Carla rested her hand on the vampire's shoulder.

"It appears you love him still" Godric said.

"I do" Isabel admitted. "I am sorry... but you are my sheriff, do with him as you please"

"You are free to go" Godric said, addressing Hugo, who looked confused.

"What?!" Stan stepped forward from where he stood against the wall.

"The human is free to go" Godric repeated, sitting back down in his chair, Carla let go of Isabel's shoulder. "And do not return, i fear it is not safe for you here" Godric told Hugo, and he nodded in acknowledgement.

"This is a travesty" Stan continued.

"This is my verdict" Godric retorted. "Eric, escort them out, make sure he leaves unharmed" Eric stepped forward from the crowd that had gathered to hear Godric's ruling, and grabbed the human by the back of his shirt. Eric gave Carla a cold stare as he walked out.

"Thank you sheriff" Isabel said, tears streaming down her face, and she followed Eric out.

Carla turned back to Godric.

"Well you are unique" She said, smiling down at him.

"Well, aren't we all?" Godric asked.

"Well, yes, but you are unlike any other vampire i have ever seen, you are full of care and kindness, you empathize on a human level, it is a very desirable trait" Carla explained, and Godric smiled.

"Thank you" He said.

"What was your specialty?" Carla asked.

"Elements and Transformation" Godric replied. "But i was always better at Elements" he admitted, "And you?"

"Transformation and Divination" Carla told him, smiling. "But Transformation was always my favorite, and my Divination manifests in just a feeling in the pit of my stomach or a feeling that something is not quite right, and usually after or during something happening, so it was never very refined" Carla explained.

Isabel walked back into the lair, she glanced at Godric, and then wandered off to join the main group of people. Eric followed her in, and made straight for Godric. Carla looked up at the tall blonde vampire, and he returned her gaze.

"Might i have a moment alone with my maker?" Eric asked, and Carla nodded, walking away to find Sookie. She found her over by a table, on her own.

"Hey Sookie, how're you feeling?" Carla asked.

"Hey Carla, yeah i'm alright i suppose, it's just that Bill's been avoiding being along with me all night, he told me that he was held against his own will, and that was why he didn't come and get me at the church, but he keeps getting side tracked every time he tries to explain" Sookie explained, she frowned.

"Where is he?" Carla asked, glancing around.

"He's talking with Jason outside somewhere, he said it was important" Sookie told her.

"Hello, I'm Lorena" A vampire suddenly butted in, addressing Sookie.

"Nice to meet you, i'm Sookie, and this is Carla" Sookie smiled at the woman, and Carla nodded.

"Mmm, yes, you are what all the fuss is about?" Lorena smiled, she worse a flowing red dress with matching red lipstick, her hair was pulled into a bob on the top of her head.

"Excuse me?" Sookie asked, looking confused.

"Aren't you a morsel" Lorena added.

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Sookie asked.

"Well, we have a mutual friend" Lorena told her.

"Bill?"

"That's right, funny he never mentioned me, i practically made him what he is today" Lorena explained, a condescending smile on her face.

"Lorena?!" Bill said, walking towards them.

"Oh, hello darling, i was just getting to know your plaything, you always did like to prey on the innocent" Lorena smiled a Bill, looking Sookie up and down.

"Bill, is this your maker?" Sookie asked.

"She released me years ago, she no longer had any hold over me" Bill explained, looking at Lorena with pure contempt.

"Strange that she still hangs around like a bad smell" Carla butted in, staring intensely at Lorena.

"We had two marvelous nights in your hotel room" Lorena told Sookie.

"What?!" Sookie asked.

"Do you know that your boyfriend, hit me over the head with a fifty-two inch plasma television earlier tonight? Everyone says they're so thin and light, but let me tell you, when wielded properly, it;s quite a weapon" Lorena told Sookie.

"Lorena you need to leave" Bill said.

"I agree, it is plain obvious that you are not welcome here, it would be appreciated if you stop humiliating yourself and leave" Carla cut in.

"Don't you tell me lies, William wants me here, we're in love" Lorena hissed desperately at Carla.

"Maybe you do love him, but it is blatantly obvious that he does not love you" Carla retorted.

"Take those word back, or they will be your last!" Lorena drew her fangs at Carla, but she didn't even pay attention.

"I would leave, we both know that you've lost this one" Carla added, and Lorena grabbed her around the throat, slamming her down on the table, Carla grabbed the vampire by the wrist, pulling her arm behind her back with such force that it sprung from it's socket. Carla stood back, and Lorena popped it back into its socket, then turned to continue her attack, but she was interrupted by Godric, who held her by the throat. Eric appeared behind Carla, holding her arms so she didn't attack, thought she didn't plan to anyway.

"Retract. Your. Fangs. Now." Godric said, his voice calm as a gentle breeze on the beach.

Lorena did as she was told, backing away from Carla, until she sat on the back of one of the sofa's.

"I neither know, nor care, who you are, but in this area, and certainly in this nest, i am the authority, do you understand?" Godric asked, his authority absolute.

"Yes, sheriff" Lorena answered, her words quivering. Godric released her throat, and her took unsteady, unnecessary breaths.

"These humans have proven themselves to be courageous, and loyal friends to our kind, and yet you treat them like a child does a dragon fly, pulling off wings for sport, no wonder they hate us" Godric sounded deadly serious and full of sorrow at the same town.

"She provoked me" Lorena winged.

"And you provoked me, you disrupted the peace in my own home, i could snap you like a twig, but i haven't, and why is that?"

"It's your choice" Lorena told him, still sounding terrified.

"Indeed it is, you're an old vampire, i can tell, you've had hundreds of years to better yourself, yet you haven't, you are still a savage, and i fear for all out lives, humans and vampires, if this behavior persists" Godric addressed the whole room, before turning to Bill. "You, you seem to know her?" He asked.

"Yes sheriff" Bill replied, looking a little embarrassed.

"Escort her from the nest" Godric ordered, and Bill turned to Sookie to make sure she was uninjured.

"I want you out of my area before dawn" Godric told Lorena, and Lorena stood up and walked for the door, Bill following. Everyone went back to their conversations.

Eric grabbed Carla's shoulder, making her turned to face him.

"Are you hurt?" He asked, looking down her body.

"Oh Eric, how thoughtful of you, i never knew you cared" Carla told him, glaring.

"Don't be stupid Carla, just tell me that she didn't do anything to hurt you"

"Of course not, thanks to Godric, i escaped without a scratch" The feeling of great unease suddenly hit Carla, and she glanced around the room, she saw a familiar looking boy standing in the entrance to the lair, he wore a over padded back coat, something was wrong.

Carla ran to Sookie and grabbed her hand, pulled her away from the man.

"What is it Carla, what's wrong?" Sookie asked, before pulling her hand away and following her gaze.

"Excuse me everyone? If i could have your attention" Everyone looked at the boy or got into a position where they could see him. "My name is Luke MacDonald, i'm a member of the Fellowship of the sun" Vampires all around her started to stand up and growl at the boy. Carla grabbed Sookie's arm, trying to pull her away. "and i have a message from Reverend Steve Newlin" The boy opened his coat to reveal silver chains and bricks all around him, with a black shape in the center, with flashing lights on it.

Carla grabbed Sookie and pulled her underneath herself, shielding her, she heard the start of the explosion, but everything quickly went quiet.

There was something incredibly heavy on top of her, and she couldn't move.

Maybe she was dead? She thought, but when she convinced her eyes to open themselves, she saw Sookie's golden hair in front of her eyes.

She couldn't hear anything, only an ungodly ringing, the weight at her back was removed, and she rolled of of Sookie, trying to pull herself upright.

She wobbled and fell back down next to Sookie, who grasped onto her hand, dazed and confused.

"CARLA!" She faintly heard Eric yelling in her ear, and she looked up to see that he was bleeding, and covering in dust, ash and debris.

Sookie sat up next to her, trying to stand up, but falling back down as Carla had done.

Bill appeared and clutched onto Sookie's hand, before turning and running out of the lair.

Eric pulled Carla to her feet, supporting her in his arms.

"Are you okay?" Eric asked, his mouth right next to Carla's ear, so she could hear, though he hearing was getting better by the moment.

Carla nodded, and touched one of Eric's wounds, as it was healing.

"Are you?" She asked him, and he nodded.

Bill came back and few moments later, and picked up Sookie in his arms, Carla was still walking with Eric's aid.

"EVERYONE?!" Isabel called, getting everyone's attention.

"Y'all? Listen up!" Jason added.

"They may come back, go to the Hotel Carmilla, they have been informed, security is in place" Godric told them all, his voice as calm as ever, though he was covered in blood, dust, and ash.

Everyone got up and headed for the Hotel, some carrying wounded, all with the thoughts of those lost in the blast. Eric took picked up Carla in his arms and headed for the door.

He flew back to the hotel, taking her to the room.

* * *

A few hours later, Carla sat with her back against the outside wall of the bathroom, while Eric showered.

Her legs were covered in ash and blood, she had a few cuts and bruises, but they had healed quickly after the explosion.

Her dress was completely ruined, torn up and covered in all sorts of muck after the explosion.

Carla starred down at her bloodied hands, her eyes completely glazed over, all she could think about was that she wasn't good enough, fast enough to save the people who had been killed.

Carla had told Eric to go in first, as she didn't feel she could stand up on her own yet.

Carla dug her nails into her flesh, as the fists her hands had made were so tight, she released the pressure and saw the cuts heal together.

Carla sighed, rubbing her face with her hands, and they came back even dirtier.

The sound of water spraying in the bathroom quickly turned off, and she heard Eric step out and dry himself off. He strode out of the bathroom with a towel covering his lower section, and pulled some clothes on.

"It's free" Eric told Carla, as if she might have missed him coming out.

"Yes, i know, i just..." Carla said, trailing off.

"You just what?" He asked, squatting in front of her.

"Nothing" Carla pulled herself up, steadying herself against the wall she had been sat against. Eric caught her shoulder before she could shut herself off in the bathroom.

"It's not your fault" he told her.

"What do you mean?" Carla asked.

"I mean that you couldn't have done anything to stop what happened, so please stop feeling so damn guilty, it's driving me crazy" Eric told her, and she nodded, with the smallest of smiles, and went into the bathroom to clean herself off.

* * *

When Carla came out, she pulled on one of Eric's T-shirts, which was plain black, and a pair of panties.

She noticed that Eric was laying on the bed, completely still.

Carla laid on the bed too, facing away from Eric this time, she curled up into a loose ball, and held a pillow under her head, forcing her eyes to close.

She sat like this for a few minutes, but her mind would not rest, she opened her eyes and looked at the bedside clock. 4am. It was going to be a long time before anything happened.

She was sweating uncontrollably, and felt like an inferno, even without the covers warming her, the temperature was unbelievable.

Without warning, Eric turned over and laced his arm around Carla's stomach, and dragged her back into him, holding her close to his cold body, his muscles locked up, and she couldn't escape his firm grasp, even if she wanted too.

Eric buried his head into the girls wet hair, and took a deep breath in through his nose.

Carla was surprised by his gesture of kindness, he obviously was trying to make her feel safe, and it was working. Her muscles relaxed and melted into him, his temperature was cooling, and made her feel less like a fire storm and more of a soothing breeze on a mild day.

Her heart beat lessened, and she felt her consciousness fall away from her.

* * *

**How did you like that?**  
**Do you want more?  
****Please leave a review and tell me! Also tell me what you thought of the chapter and the fic in general!  
****Thank you for sparing your time to ready my fanfic, and i hope you guys don't hate me for what i am going to do wtih Godric. I am sorry but it is the way i feel about his character and the way he acts.  
****Thanks for all of your support, and the next chapter will be coming to the end of the time in Dallas, see you then!**

**-Shad out**


	17. Loss

**Welcome back, i hope you enjoy! Quick note to say that if you deem this chapter too mature for a rating of T, please PM me, or leave me and review and tell me your thoughts, i would like to know your opinions as i do not wish to get reported, and i believe this chapter, though there is a warning, is suitible for a T rating, if you do not agree, please tell me.**

**!Warning: Mature content ahead!  
if you do not wish to read, this chapter can be summed up by simply saying that Godric still commits suicide, Carla stands with him up on the roof in his final moments. Carla also comforts Eric afterwards. You can guess how she does it. I'm not telling you how, that defeats the point! **:P

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter seventeen - Loss

* * *

"Do you have any fucking idea of the PR mess you've made?" Nan Flanagan asked the group of them.

Bill, Carla, Sookie, Eric, Godric and Isabel had all been grabbed before Nan for the events of the last few days. Godric and Isabel sat next to one another, as well as Bill and Sookie, Carla perched on the end of the same sofa, next to Eric.

"And who has to clean that shit up? Me, not you, me. I should drain everyone of you bastards" Carla rolled her eyes at the vampire woman, she really was taking things a bit to far, Carla could feel Eric's muscles stiffening next to her.

"Stan went into the church on his own, none of us knew about it" Eric told Nan.

"Really? but everyone that met Stan in the last three hundred years knew he had a kink about slaughtering humans, but not his own nest mates, his sheriff, had no clue?" Nan retorted.

"And how were we supposed to know that this time he meant it?" Isabel asked.

"Not my problem, yours" Nan told Godric.

"Don't talk to him that way" Eric growled at the woman.

"Don't talk to me that way" Nan said back. Eric stiffened even more, Carla laid her hand on the vampire's knee, and he relaxed slightly.

"Let's get to the point, how did they manage to abduct you?" Nan asked Godric.

"They would have taken one of us sooner or later, i offered myself" Godric replied, Carla seemed to be the only one in the room who wasn't surprised by this turn of events.

"Why?" Nan asked.

"Why not?" Godric said back.

"They wanted you to meet the sun, and you were willing?" Nan asked, looking confused.

Carla glanced up at Eric, he looked terrified, his eyes were wide, like a child in a world of titans and terrors.

"What do you think?" Godric asked the woman.

"I think you're out of your mind" There was silence for a moment, Eric gulped noisily next to Carla, leaning forward and resting his hands on his knees. "And then i hear about a traitor?" Nan continued.

"Irrelevant, only a rumor, i'll take full responsibility" Godric said.

"You bet you will" Nan nodded at the man.

"You cold bitch" Eric mumbled to Nan from next to Carla.

"Listen..." Nan said, turning to Eric. "This is a national vampire disaster, and nobody at the top has any sympathy for any of you, sheriff you fucked up, you're fired" Nan told Godric.

"I agree, of course, Isabel should take over, she had no part in my disgrace" Godric offered.

"Godric, fight back" Isabel told him.

"What are you saying, she's a bureaucrat, you don't have to take shit from her!" Eric told Godric.

"Wanna lose your area viking?" Nan asked Eric.

"You don't have that sort of power" Eric told her.

"Hey, i'm on TV, try me" Nan threatened.

"I'm to blame, i should have contained Stan the second Godric went missing" Isabel cut in.

"Isabel" Godric interrupted, nodding at the woman to be quiet. "I remove myself from all positions of authority"

"Works for me" Nan said.

"Ms Flanagan, Godric saved me, and all the humans and vampires in that church, you should be thanking him, this could be so much worse" Sookie butted in.

"For getting kidnapped? For attracting a suicide bomber? For piss poor judgement? I think not" Nan corrected her.

Eric growled, and shot up from is seat, heading for Nan. Carla shot up and grabbed his arm.

"Eric, no" Carla told him, and he looked back at her. "Don't, she's not worth it" Carla told him. Eric sat back down.

"Well won't you look at that, Eric Northman, tamed by a human" Nan mocked.

"Don't push your fucking luck" Carla growled, and Nan raised her eyebrow.

"I could make you disappear" Nan told her.

"And i could tear you to bits" Carla retorted. "Don't tempt me"

"I'd like to see you try" Nan chuckled. Carla stepped forward to silence the hateful vampire, but Godric stood up in front of her.

"Carla..." He said. "It doesn't matter" Godric patted he woman's shoulder, and she turned and went to sit back down next to Eric.

"What a fucking fiasco, you're lucky i don't send you all to the Magister" Nan threatened, Carla clutched Eric's hand with great force, trying to control her anger.

"Godric, come to the suite, and fill out the forms" Nan asked, getting up.

"Soon, first i have something to say, i'm sorry, i apologize for all the harm i have caused, for all our lost ones, human and vampire, i swear i will make amends" Godric told them.

"Take it easy, it's just a few signatures" Nan said, before leaving the room.

Eric and Carla jumped up, Eric going to his maker.

"No" He told Godric.

"Look in my heart" Godric told him.

"You have to listen to me" Eric begged.

"There's nothing to say" Godric said.

"Yes there is!" Eric replied.

"On the roof" Godric said, before leaving for the roof.

Eric followed his maker, and Carla followed him.

Godric was stood in the middle of the roof, with Eric a few steps behind him.

"Two thousand years is enough" Godric explained.

"I can't accept this" Eric told him, his voice wavering. "It's insanity!" Eric swallowed.

"Out existence is insanity" Godric turned to face Eric. "We don't belong here" He told him.

"But we are here!" he yelled back. Carla stayed a few steps away from the two, letting them have their moment.

"It's not right, we're not right" Godric shook his head, turning to Eric.

"You told me there is no right or wrong, only survival, or death" Eric's hands were shaking.

"I told a lie, as it turns out" Godric corrected.

"I will keep you alive by force" Eric said, walking closer to his maker.

"Even if you could, why would you be so cruel?" Godric asked. And Eric cracked.

"Godric, gör inte det" (Godric, don't do it) Eric begged, tears welling at the corners of his eyes.

"Det har varit århundraden av tro och kärlek mellan oss" (There have been centuries of faith and love between us) Godric replied.

"Snälla. Snälla."(Please. Please.) Eric begged, bowing his head and fell to his knees before Godric. "Snälla, Godric" (Please, Godric)

"Fader, broder, son" (Father, Bother, Son) Godric looked down at his progeny. "Let me go" He told the man, who was now sobbing, but he stopped, the tears still on his face.

"I won't let you die alone" Eric told him.

"Yes you will" Godric corrected him. Eric began sobbing again, all of his usual stone cold exterior gone. Godric put his hand on Eric's shoulder, making the man look at him. "As your maker, i command you" He smiled at Eric, and Eric smiled back, but ever so slightly.

Eric then stood up and started walked towards the stairs back into the building. Carla caught his hand before he left.

"I'll stay with him" Carla went on tip toe and planted a kiss on the man's cheek, he nodded at her down at her, and walked down the steps.

"It won't take long" Godric told her, and she walked over to stand beside Godric. "Not at my age"

"I know why you're different" Carla said, smiling at Godric, he glanced at her face.

"Why is that?" Godric asked.

"Because after two thousand years, you've become the very thing you started as, in your mind at least, you are human" Carla said, looking at the Dallas skyline.

"Are you familiar with what our people did after battles?" Godric asked.

"I am not, i think that the druids you knew were completely different to the ones i have known" Carla replied.

"After a battle, the dead would be gathered up and a platform made out of wood, the bodies would be burned, and as the fire consumed them, their essence would be absorbed by the other druids, it was quite magical" Godric explained, reminiscing.

"It sounds beautiful" Carla told him, he simply nodded. "Two release your loved ones to the air, to the breeze, to know that wherever the wind blows, they are right beside you"

"Do you think i will be punished?" Godric asked, sounding slightly worried.

"No, you will be forgiven" Carla told him, with a smile, and the sun was just producing rays in the morning sky, and Godric began to steam.

"I don't deserve it" Godric admitted, "But i will hope for it"

"Those who repent shall be forgiven, those who don't shall be damned" Carla told him.

Godric turned to face Carla, and she did the same.

"You will care for him?" He asked.

"Of course" Carla nodded. "As long as he allows me" She smiled.

"Never give up"

The sun began to rise above the horizon, a burning pin prick in the distance. It began to expand, and Carla pulled Godric into a hug, his body bursting into blue flame, but it didn't harm her.

"Good bye, Godric" Carla said into his ear, as his body disintegrated into blue dust and spread over Carla's skin, fading into nothingness.

* * *

Carla walked along the corridor to her room, the room she knew Eric would be in, she opened the door and closed it behind her, not sure whether she should turn around.

Eventually she did, Eric was facing away from her, sitting on the bed, hunched over, she could hear his sobbing sounds from this side of the room.

Carla walked slowly over to him, and sat beside him.

"Godric is gone" He spluttered. Carla nodded at him, she pulled him towards her, hugging him. She rubbed his back, Eric's bloody tears dripped onto Carla's shoulder.

Carla pulled away from him, leaving her hand on the man's shoulder to show her support.

"I am sorry, i know how it feels to lose someone so close to your heart" Carla smiled sadly at him, and he looked up at her questioningly.

"I have lost many of those i held close to my heart" Carla told him, sighing and trying to blink back tears.

Carla went to pull herself up off the bed, but Eric's hand on her knee stopped her, he put his hand on the side of her face, stroking her skin sensually.

Eric edged his face closer and closer to her, and she didn't move away, unsure of whether to abandon him, specially when he was in his time of greatest need.

Eric pressed his lips against Carla's, letting his hands run down to her neck, and pulling her body closer to his.

She didn't fight it, she couldn't fight it, she wouldn't fight it.

Their mouths moved in sync, and Eric pulled her ever closer to him, letting his hands wandering down to her waist.

Carla pulled her face back for a moment, taking a breath. "This is the road to ruin" she told him, finding it hard to stop staring at his lips.

"Then let's walk it together" Eric told her, pulling her on top of him.

His hands ran down her back, pulling the vest she was wearing off of her, and undoing her belt, all while kissing her.

Carla pulled back to take a breath, and tore his shirt in two, making him gasp, she grabbed his belt and undid in in moments with skillful hands.

Eric unclipped her bra, yanking it off and dropping it to the floor, and both pulled off their trousers, discarding them without a moments consideration.

Eric rolled her over so he was on top, and in control, by now Carla was panting and shivering with anticipation.

He began grinding against her, getting her worked up, and making her crazy.

They molded together perfectly, her lost in a haze of lust, underneath his pale, cold body that was moving against her, pushing her to the edge, and threatening to throw her over.

And him, fitted perfectly inside her, using his energy to take his mind off of the pain, and working himself closer and closer to the climax.

Eric leaned over her, moving his face closer and closer to her throat, he stroked the side of is face up her neck, smelling her skin, her essence. Eric's fangs sprung forth, and he dragged them lightly down her throat, and she whimpered quietly, panting uncontrollably.

Carla leaned her head back, accepting it. Eric bit down on her throat, letting the blood come forth, he sucked it from her, continuing to thrust into her.

Eric pulled his lips away from her throat, only to pull her into a sitting position, and start and bounce her off his hips, Carla looped her arms around the vampires neck, hanging on for dear life.

The marks of her people began to show all over he body, glowing with a golden intense light, her control over their concealment completely gone.

She arched her back and threw her head back, being propelled over the edge at lightning speed, Eric followed, and she fell forward onto his body, sweating and exhausted, dragging the vital oxygen back into her body.

They both lay there, limp and glossy in the sheets, side by side.

* * *

**Thanks for reading, wow! I hope you enjoyed that! It was a little nerve raking to write, considing it is my first sex scene, but please tell me what you thought! I can't wait to hear from your guys about what you think and i hope you stick around for the next chapter! Thanks for all the support guys, you're all great!  
Plus, i know there may well be some spelling mistakes, if there are any that are bothering you in any specific chapter, please PM me and i will correct them when i get time, thank you :)**

**As mentioned above, please tell me if you think this story should be made M instead of T due to this chapter.**

**Until next time,**

**-Shad out**


	18. A Bad Homecoming

**Welcome back! Good to see you back and i hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter eighteen - A Bad Homecoming

* * *

Upon arriving back in Bon Temps, it was very obvious that something wasn't quite right.

The driver of the taxi had hit two of the residents of the town, and they didn't even seem to notice, they simply got back up and ran off, laughing, their eyes were completely black, and they were babbling about finding 'Sam'.

That night the taxi driver unloaded Bill's coffin at his house, Jason, Carla and Sookie had all come in the same Taxi, so they were also at the house.

"Hey, just to let you know that two people got hit by a car today, but they just ran off, and what the hell happened to this town, we been taken over my aliens or something?" Jason said into his phone, talking to the sheriffs office.

Carla was sat in the lounge, looking down into the grate.

Her encounter with Eric the previous night had been amazing, and she couldn't keep her mind off of it, it just buzzed around her skull constantly, she barely had time to think about what was going on with Bon Temps.

"Bill! There is something seriously wrong going on in Bon Temps, i can feel it" Sookie explained, talking to loud that Carla could hear her from the other room.

Carla shut her eyes, and tried to cut out the voices, she wanted to be alone, in the quiet, so she could think straight and work out how she was feeling right now.

"Does she ever calm down?!" Bill shouted, surprised. Carla sighed.

"Playing Wii gets her to focus, but i wouldn't exactly call it calm" Hoyt's voice said from behind her. Carla stood up and turned around, watching the group of people make Maxine, Hoyt's mother, play Wii, while they watched, and talked about what they were going to do.

"So she says God is coming?" Bill questioned.

"They say that they're gonna get Sam and take him over to Maryann's and sacrifice him to the god who comes or something" Hoyt explained, looking very confused.

"Maryann's? Where's that?" Sookie asked.

"Well, umm, it's your house" Hoyt told her.

"What?!" Sookie blinked.

"They're gonna rip that boy open and serve him up like barbecue!" Maxine laughed, still playing Wii.

"Has anyone been attack by something with claws?" Sookie asked.

"Well i heard Arlene say that the woman you found in the back of Andy's car had her back scratched up real bad" Hoyt said. "Then i heard someone else say that Daphne had some weird scar on her back"

"The new waitress at Merlotte's?" Sookie asked, Hoyt nodded.

"Yeah, she got killed too, found with her heart cut out" Hoyt told them.

Carla walked towards the door.

"Carla?" Carla stopped, and turned around to looked at Sookie.

"What?" She asked.

"Where are you going?" Sookie questioned.

"I'm going to the house, i want to find out what the hell is going on, and i think that Maryann is probably the person to ask" Carla explained.

"And i'm going to Merlotte's to find out what the hell is going on in my town" Jason added, walking towards the door.

"Carla, whatever that is it could be thing that got you before, and you know how dangerous it is, you nor Jason should be going any where near it" Bill said.

"I'm not standing around and doing nothing while my town is taken over by some crazy bitch!" Jason complained.

"Jason, this would be one of those times to use your head" Sookie told him.

"Oh i am, this is the war i have been training for" Jason assured himself.

"Jason-" Sookie started to speak.

"He can look after himself" Bill cut in. "We've seen that" Sookie hugged her brother and told him to be safe, Jason promised to be, and he left.

"And where's Tara?" Sookie asked Hoyt.

"I'm pretty sure she is the link between all of this with Maryann and your place Sookie, didn't you tell Tara to house sit for you while we were away" Carla cut in before Hoyt could speak.

"We've gotta get over there" Sookie said.

"Like I've been saying...!" Carla said, walking out of the door, followed by the vampire and his lover.

* * *

Sookie pulled up outside her house, and in front of a huge structure made of wood and covered in flowers, bones and meat of all sorts. All three of them got out of the car, and looked up at it, walking forward for a better look.

"What in god's name?" Bill said, walking towards the thing. Carla strode right past, and into the hallway of the house.

"Tara?!" Carla called, looking around the corner into the lounge and dining room. The house was covered in moss, sticks and plants of all kinds, as if the structure had been left for years and the plants hand reclaimed it.

Sookie and Bill walked into the house, and started looking around, Sookie joined in calling for Tara with Carla.

Sookie's phone began to ring, and she picked it up.

"Lafayette? Where's Tara?" She said into the receiver.

Carla was caught by an idol on the end of the banister, being in such a position in the room made it obvious it was important in some way.

"I'm here in what used to be my living room" Sookie continued. Carla walked through into the living room, and a bull head mask caught her eye, Carla recognized it, it looked exactly like the head of the beast that attacked her and Sookie in the woods.

"I'll be right there" Sookie closed her phone. "Come on!" Sookie ran for the door, but stopped dead in her tracks in the hallway.

The woman Carla assumed was Maryann was standing in front of Sookie.

"What are you doing in my house?" She asked Sookie.

"This is not your house" Sookie growled at her.

"It is now" The woman had a maniacal grin on her face, and she walked towards Sookie, and they all backed off.

Carla pulled Sookie behind her and grabbed Maryann, throwing her to the floor in the lounge.

Bill ran past her and flung the woman to the ground, biting her neck in and effort to drain and kill her. But he started throwing up, coughing up foam and her black blood.

Maryann laughed at the situation, and Carla ran to pull Bill away from her. Sookie came back to help her take him to the car, and Maryann simply stood and watched them leave, laughing to herself.

* * *

Sookie and Bill were sat in the front seats, and Carla in the back, Sookie was driving like a maniac down the main street of Bon Temps, towards Lafayette's house.

Bill was throwing up foam and black blood out of the car window, retching uncontrollably.

"We need to get you to Eric" Sookie told him, sounding worried. "Dr Ludwig can treat you" She added.

"I am not going to Eric for help" Bill growled, spitting the last of the blood out. "Give me your arm so i can heal" Bill took Sookie's arm and bit into her wrist.

"Where are we going?" Carla asked.

"Lafayette has Tara and his place, we need to make sure she is okay" Sookie explained.

"Does anyone know what that thing might be?"

"Not at all, but if Tara has been under Maryann's influence, she could be of some help to us" Bill said, and Sookie shrugged. Bill pulled away from Sookie and sat up straight in the chair, fully healed.

* * *

Upon arriving at Lafayette's house, Bill was first up the steps, followed by Sookie and Carla, a girl that Carla had never seen before ran past them on their way up to the house, she looked terrified, Bill had his fangs drawn and was staring at Lafayette intimidatingly.

"... talk to your boy Eric, he got me pushing the shit!" Lafayette told Bill, his hands up defensively to protect himself.

"What's that?" Carla asked, looking at Lafayette.

"Nothin' aight" Lafayette looked nervous.

"Where is she?" Sookie asked, Lafayette pointed into the house, and Sookie entered, Carla close behind.

"Tara?" Sookie asked, looking down at the woman, who had large black eyes. "What happened to you?" She asked.

"Get me out of here you stupid cunt! Or i will kill you" Tara snapped back.

"We're losing her Sook" Lafayette said, sitting down on the couch.

Carla moved next to Sookie, as she crouched in front of the woman, touching her as to use her powers more effectively.

"It's all dark, nothin'" Sookie said, stepping back.

"You see inside her brain?" A woman asked, who looked like Tara's mother, as their features were similar.

"Stop trying to rape my brain!" Tara complained at Sookie.

"I can't see or hear anything, it's not her, she's gone" Sookie explained, looking completely confused.

"Don't say that Sook, she's in there, keep trying!" Lafayette told her.

"I know, but what am i supposed to do!" Sookie complained.

"Sookie, listen, try again, i will bounce the power back at you, but you have to be ready this time" Carla told her.

"You know what happened last time, you really think that's a good idea?!" Sookie asked.

"I don't think anyone else in this room has an idea at this point, and this time, if you're ready for it, you could probably use the power i bounce back at you to make yourself stronger" Carla explained, offering her hand to Sookie.

Sookie crouched down again, clutching the woman's legs with one hand, and her other hand in Carla's.

After a few moments, Sookie shook her head, and opened her eyes.

"There's something i can't cross, an abyss" Sookie explained, shaking her head.

"I will glamour her" Bill said, stepping forward.

"What?!" Tara's mother said, alarmed.

"It may help" Bill explained, trying to calm them.

"I don't wanna hurt her" Sookie said, a little worried.

"If we leave her like this who knows what harm might come to her... or us" Bill explained, looking worried for all of them.

Sookie stepped behind the girl, and Carla on the side, Bill did his thing, glamouring Tara and getting her under his influence.

"I may be able to reflect your power back at you too Bill, but i am not sure, i have only ever done it with Sookie" Carla said, but Bill shook his head.

"Only as a last resort, i haven't had the experience that Sookie has" Bill replied.

Sookie held onto Tara's shoulders, closing her eyes and concentrating. Carla took Sookie's hand, closing her eyes for concentration too. Lafayette held Tara's mother's hand for support, not wanting her to interfere.

Bill yelled at Tara, tell her to let Sookie in, and repeated it, telling her she was safe, and that she needed to let Sookie in.

They were getting no where, and it was obvious to Carla. Carla grabbed Bill's arm, and the feeling was almost over whelming, it was like gallons of water rushing over her and sweeping her under, restricting her breathing, but she took deep and controlled breaths, and Tara began to respond. The black emptiness in her eyes receded into her normal pupils. She sat there, panting for a few moments.

Bill let her go, taking deep breaths into his dead lungs. Tara blinked a few times, and then turned around to face Sookie, fear all over her face. Carla let go of Bill and Sookie, standing up, Bill was still a little shaky, so took a moment to rest.

Tara glanced around the room, wondering if it was all real. "Oh my god" She said, gasping. "I'm crazy" She admitted, turning to Sookie who held her close. Tara began to cry, and Sookie simply shook her head.

"No... No, it wasn't you, because that's not you" Sookie said. Tara turned and saw her mother, going to hug her and apologize.

Sookie began to cry, and Carla squeezed her arm, giving her a supportive smile.

"I need some air" Sookie said, and Carla nodded in agreement, Bill also, and they filed out of the house.

Carla stood at the edge of the garden, just close enough to hear, and far enough away to hide her fangs. Her body was starting to become dependent on the vampire blood for fuel when she was running low or doing stressful work for her powers. The more she used the vampire blood, the more she looked like Eric, taking on his form as it was the most powerful that she could use. Her body was now starting to use it as the default. As Carla stood out of cover so that her body could cool down, and she could revert back to normal, she noticed that she felt less like Eric than the time she became him, different, more controlled and calm, she felt like another vampire, much stronger, much faster, much older. Carla tried to think how this would be so.

"I've known Tara all my life, and every trace of her was gone, replaced, now i thought only vampires could hypnotize people" Sookie said to Bill.

"No offence Sookie, but humans are shockingly susceptible to about every form of thought manipulation" Bill explained.

"It's all coming from Maryann, all of it" Sookie said, sure of herself. "They eat peoples hearts, but she wants more, she wants their souls, and that chant-"

"What chant?" Bill asked, cutting Sookie off.

"Lo- lo Bromios, Lo -lo Dendrites, Lo -lo Eleutherios, Lo -lo Enorches-"

"Bacchus" Bill cut her off, as if he remembered it.

"Bill? I've seen that look on your face before and, i don't like it" Sookie said.

"He knows what it is" Carla said, turning around. "Do enlighten us, Bill"

"I read about some ancient creatures years ago, but i always assumed it was just a myth" Bill explained, wandering around in deep thought, he glanced at Carla, then back to Sookie. "But i believe Maryann might be one"

"What is she?" Sookie and Carla asked at the same time. "And more importantly, how do you kill her?" Carla continued.

"I do not know how to defeat her, but i know one vampire who might, Might! If i am to make it by day light i must leave now" Bill explained.

"Let's go" Sookie said, stepping towards Bill.

"Sookie, i must do this alone" Bill explained, looking forlorn. "But i will be back by morning, and Jason, Sam, Tara and Lafayette, you can do more good for them here" Bill explained, trying to justify leaving Sookie.

"Are you going to Eric?" Carla asked.

"I will not go to Eric" Bill retorted, angry at the mention of the thousand year old vampire's name.

"Then i will" Carla said, beginning to turn away.

"Wait!" Sookie said, walking over to Carla. "Don't go to Eric, you know how he is, he will simply be waiting for one of us to come to him and owe him a favor, you and i both know that he will not help us without requiring payment back, and that will probably be through using me to strike a bargain" Sookie explained, more intelligent than she acted most of the time.

"Sookie, we're at our last straw here, none of us know how to kill her, and if Bill's contact comes up short we will be turning to Eric anyway, he is the oldest vampire in this area, he must know himself or know someone that may be able to help" Carla said back. "I will not bargain with your safety, life or skill, you know i am not like this, just trust me Sookie" Carla continued before the girl could talk.

"Bill, i will call you if Eric has anything to offer, and you must call me if you find anything on your travels also, if Bill comes back before i do, i can leave Eric and come back here to help" Carla explained, and Bill nodded.

"It's called a Maenad" Bill said. "At least that is what i think she is" Carla nodded.

"I better go, if i can ask Eric tonight, it will save time" Carla explained. Sookie still looked worried.

"Trust me" Carla said, smiling at Sookie. Before turning away from the waitress and morphing into a cheetah, running off into the woods towards Shreveport.

* * *

Carla arrived as the bar was closing, Pam was outside the front locking up.

"Is Eric still here?" Carla asked, appearing from the top of the building, she had ran along the roof tops when she had reached the more urban areas to avoid being seen.

Pam jumped and unsheathed her fangs. "Do not sneak up on me like that" Pam told her, Carla shrugged.

"Eric?" Carla asked again.

"Inside" Pam said, hiding her fangs again and assuming her normal bored temperament. "He's broody, don't piss him off" She warned, Carla rolled her eyes and walked inside, going straight to his office.

She found him staring into space in his office, sat behind his desk, when she entered the room, she used his vamp speed to get up, he would have come towards her and removed the space between them, but Carla raised her hand, telling him to stop.

"Listen, what happened in Dallas, never happened, whatever you were just planning on doing, never existed, i need to ask for your help, nothing more, nothing less, nothing happened between us, you're still as selfish and conniving, and i am still as i was" Carla explained, a serious look on her face, she had decided to go back to the way things were before the incident in Dallas.

Carla chose to go with her mind, instead of her heart, which told her that Eric was a tornado, and anything nearby got destroyed, unless you fought to the eye, it would be a never ending struggle. Carla did not feel she could ever feel that way about someone who was so obviously obsessed with everything supernatural and different.

Eric opened his mouth to talk, his eyes were big and his posture, for once, was not dominant and assertive, but more soft and submissive.

"No" He said simply, shaking his head down at Carla. "I need to go to ground in half an hour, we can speak about this tomorrow, until then, just know that this is not an option" Carla rolled her eyes.

"And where am i supposed to sleep?" Carla asked.

"Sleep in the bar, Ginger with be here in the morning, i will leave her a note to make you food" Eric explained, grabbing his jacket from the back of his desk chair.

"Where will you be?" Carla continued.

"Oh? Do you care now?" Eric asked, raising an eyebrow.

Carla gritted her teeth, but chose not to reply.

Eric closed the space between them, faster than the blink of an eye, pressing Carla up against the open door of his office.

Carla's eyes were wide with uncertainty.

Eric cupped the woman's chin, angling it up so she looked at him.

"You do care" Eric told her, smiling, before leaving the bar at vampire speed.

Carla sighed, looking down at the ground.

She did care.

* * *

**Please leave a review and tell me what you thought! I really like this exchange between Eric and Carla now, him with his softer side coming out, and she just can't resist! ;) **

**Thanks for reading, i hope to see you back in the next chapter! Thanks for all the support you guys are giving me in the form of reviews, follows and favorites!**

**Until next time,  
-Shad out**


	19. One Dead Maenad

**Welcome back! Hope you enjoy! This is the season two finale, so the next chapter will be season three!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter nineteen - One Dead Maenad

* * *

Carla slept for three hours on one of the couches in the club, before she heard the front door open, and more than one set of feet walk in.

Carla sat up on the seat and saw Ginger walk in first before Sam and Arlene's kids, who she had met when Sookie had babysat them about a month ago.

"Carla?!" Sam said, striding over to her, he enveloped her in a hug that was a little too friendly considering Carla had left without a word to Sam. "I didn't now you were still around, after you left i assumed that you'd moved on" Sam explained, sitting down on one of the couches with the kids.

"No, Sam, i kinda got caught up in this vampire stuff, but i'm here to ask for Eric's help about the maenad in Bon Temps" Carla explained. "I am so sorry that i didn't tell you about leaving, it was just all so fast, one minute i was coming to work and then that night i was out with Sookie and Bill and i was attacked and then i owed Eric for finding someone who could treat me fast enough and... oh, i'm babbling" Carla said, going red in the face, trying not to lose her job.

"Well, it's fine Carla, considering all that's been happening there hasn't been much work on to miss, so it's fine, and i'm here for the same reason as you, but you said you were attacked?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, well me and Sookie both were, but i managed to shield her just in time" Carla told him.

"Do you know who or what it was?"

"Well at this point i am pretty sure it was Maryann" Carla shrugged.

For the rest of the day, Carla sat with Sam and the kids, making sure they were entertained. Sam explained what she had missed in the town over the time she was in Dallas, while she made food for them all, clearing it away before Eric and Pam arrived to open the bar at night fall.

* * *

Pam was the first to arrive at the bar, and simply ignored them and made the place ready for opening, which didn't take long with her vampire speed.

Eric arrived later when the bar was open for an hour or so, noticing Carla sat with the shifter and two children straight away.

He came over and sat down opposite the four of them, Carla got up, going to stand behind him.

Sam explained why they were here, about Maryann and the trails and tribulations of the last few days.

"Why should i help you, _shifter?_" Eric asked, saying the last word with disgust.

"Because i need your help, we need it, and hopefully some day we might be able to give you something you need" Sam explained.

"I cannot think of anything that i need a tribute that you could supply" Eric said, shrugging off the request.

"I'm not here to give you tribute, Eric" Sam said firmly.

"No, you're here to request my help based on a hypothetical future in which you return the favour" Eric bit back, and Carla rolled her eyes. "But you are known to not be friendly to those like me, why should i trust you?"

"Because before somebody starts trusting somebody we're all single targets, just tripe for the picking" Sam said.

"I have no knowledge of this maenad creature, though i expect it is the bull-headed creature that passed through here recently, right Pam?"

"That think owes me a pair of shoes" Pam added in.

"So can you help us or not?" Sam asked.

"I do know someone that may be able to offer something useful, might... be able to" Eric told him.

"Can we see your fangs?" Coby asked, one of Arlene's children.

Eric did so, and Coby looked intrigued, Lisa was more nervous.

"Don't you like vampires little girl?" Eric asked her. Carla glared at him.

"Eric!" Sam warned him, Eric glanced across at the shifter.

"Our almost step-daddy hated vampires, but we don't" Lisa explained.

"He went on a vacation with Jesus" Coby added, and Eric withdrew his fangs.

"Eric, will you help us or not?" Sam demanded.

"For what in return? There is nothing you can offer me" Eric replied.

"Eric, gör detta för mig" (Eric, do this for me) Carla said, and Eric looked up at her, glancing up and down her body.

He chuckled and nodded.

"Very well, i will go and visit her tonight, i must leave right away" Eric said, Sam got up from his seat.

"Great, no problem" Sam walked towards the door.

"I'll walk you out" Eric added, getting up himself, turning to Carla. "Du följer med mig" (You're coming with me) Eric told her, and she sighed, following him out of the bar.

When they got out into the parking lot, Sam opened his car door, ready to leave. "You've got my cell phone number" Sam told Eric.

"I'll tell you if i learn anything of use to you" Eric assured him, lifting up Carla.

"Good bye Sam, stay safe" Carla smiled at him, and he nodded back.

Eric then took off without hesitation.

* * *

Upon arriving at a large grand house, Eric put Carla back down onto her feet, and strode up towards the main door. Halfway across the path up to the mansion, which was platforms suspended over water, Bill met them halfway, and he looked up at Eric, ready to start a fight.

"What are you doing here?" Bill asked.

"Hoping the queen knows how to kick a maenad's ass" Eric said.

"And why would you do that? So you look like a hero to Sookie?" Bill asked.

Carla interrupted them with a well timed cough.

Eric nodded at Bill, a way of saying good bye, and walked into the building, with Carla following behind.

"Eric!" A woman dressed in a white gown that left nothing to the imagination came running over to him. Her hair was ginger and curley, combed back out of her face, with matching crimson lipstick.

"My queen" Eric nodded to her as a greeting.

"Oh, and who is this?" the queen turned her attentions to Carla. "She looks delicious" the queen glanced down at Carla's throat, where Eric had bitten her. "She is yours a presume?" she asked Eric.

"Yes, she is mine, Sophie-Ann, this is Carla, Carla, Sophie-Ann" Eric looked down at Carla, and she glared back at him. This was not in the agreement.

"It's nice to meet you your highness" Carla greeted the woman never the less.

"What a shame, she smells fantastic" The queen took a long smell of her throat up close. Carla felt very uncomfortable, and conveyed it to Eric by staring at him flatly.

"Anyway, please join us for a game of Yahtzee! Unfortunately your pet will not be able to join in, we only have one spare pace left by Mr Compton" Sophie-Ann explained, leading them over to the table, Eric sat down on the ground, crossing his legs, and Carla sat behind him, patiently waiting for him to ask about what they were here for.

Eric rolled his first pot of dice, and grunted at the result, it must have been bad.

"How long does this game go on for?" He asked, after he had a few turns of bad luck.

"We play to five million" Sophie-Ann told him, and Carla could feel his boredom radiating towards her.

"She's way ahead" A human girl that sat next to Eric said, looking somber. Carla noticed she had the same hair color as Sookie, and looked very similar to the waitress.

"It's pure luck" Sophie-Ann said, leaning on the table, closer to Eric than Carla would have liked.

"Yahtzee is the most egalitarian game in the world, you could be my social, physical or intellectual inferior" The queen pointed at the members around the table as she gave the examples. "But your chances are equal to mine, it's the perfect antidote for this world, where things such as superiority and inferiority do matter" Sophie-Ann explained. "Oh, um, speaking of which, i heard about your maker, that blows"

Eric stiffened, but he hid his emotions behind an impassive face. "Thank you" He said, his voice as calm as his face. "Your majesty is very kind-"

"Yahtzee!" The queen screamed, cutting off Eric.

"That's six in a row!" the girl exclaimed.

"It is magic!" The other player complained, who had vampire bites all over his neck.

"I do not cheat!" The queen slammed her hands down on the table, like a child who didn't get what she wanted. "What would be the point?" She said, dangerously passive aggressive. "I'm sorry, what were you saying?" Sophie-Ann turned back towards Eric.

"I was just saying thank you, your majesty's very kind..." Eric tried again.

"Oh yes! now i remember!" The queen cut him off again in mid sentence. "Do you know that there is a maenad in Renard Parish?" The queen asked Eric.

"Yes, that is the reason i came to see you your majesty" Eric explained, finally getting to the point.

"I wouldn't get involved if i were you, stick to what you're good at" The queen picked up the pot again, shaking the dice inside it. "I gave William Compton and few bits of hand-me-down folklore we've accumulated over the centuries, but who knows if it's gospel or gorilla shit?" The queen wrote down her score in her note book. "You know i think he's monogamous with his human?" Sophie-Ann said, looking disgusted by this revaluation.

"He is in love with her, yes" Eric replied, sounding less and less interested by the second.

"He is?" the human girl asked, and the queen glared at her to make her be silent.

"Well, of course he would be, with her, you probably are too" Sophie-Ann said, watching his reaction.

"I do not love humans" Eric replied, after a moment of thought. Carla couldn't tell if he was serious or it was an act.

"She's not entirely human, have you tasted her?" the queen asked Eric.

"Sadly, no" Eric started to look as if he was finding the situation more and more awkward as they spoke about Sookie.

"Don't. Ever." Sophie-Ann told him. "One vampire falling in love is enough"

"Yes, Bill Compton certainly has a knack for finding trouble" Eric replied.

"Hmm, for instance, how does he know that i am having you sell vampire blood?" Sophie-Ann asked him. Carla sighed inwardly. "The guards hear everything"

This was what Lafayette and Bill were talking about earlier. This could cause a lot of trouble if the Magister found out.

"Your majesty, i'm sorry, there's no way he could..."

"That, is really bad" The queen stiffened, and Carla could tell what was going to happen next.

"He does not know you are supplying it" Eric informed her.

The queen drew her fangs and jumped on Eric, forcing him onto his back, Carla got onto her hands an knees ready to protect him, but he glanced at her with a fierce gaze, telling her not to act. She obeyed.

"He'd better not" The queen growled. "I'm holding you responsible" Sophie-Ann let her hands wander all over Eric, and Carla was so close to staking her. The queen kissed Eric, and he pulled her away slightly, his fang being produced from his gum line.

"There they are" The queen said, stroking the bottom of Eric's lip. "Aren't your's lovely" She commented, Eric held her shoulders with a lot of force, keeping her at a maintained distance.

Sophie-Ann grabbed Eric's face with her hand in a controlling gesture.

"You may be, the strongest, oldest vampire in my queendom, but if i wanted, i could have your fangs as earrings... understand?" The queen threatened.

"I will take care of Bill Compton" Eric promised. "Personally"

The male human at the table coughed, interrupting the two. "Your turn to make Yahtzee" He told the queen, and she got up off Eric.

Eric took a moment to rest, retracting his fangs, he looked at Carla, who stared right back at him, more angry than shocked.

Eric got up and apologized to the queen, telling her he had other things to attend to, specifically, the matter concerning Bill Compton, and she excused him.

Carla followed him out, and without a word, Eric flew her back to Fangtasia.

* * *

Once Eric touched down outside the bar, Carla looked him straight in the eye.

"You know for a thousand years old, you're awful stupid" Carla told him, and Eric simple stared at her. "And what exactly did you mean by 'take care' of Bill?" Eric looked stressed.

"I will need you not to tell Sookie about any of this, more importantly about Bill, remember our agreement" Eric told her, brushing back his hair from his face that had been thrown there while he was flying.

"You need me not to? How do you think that is possible? I live with her for god's sake, i am as transparent as a window, she's a mind reader, face it Eric, we were fucked as soon as the Queen mentioned Bill" Carla said back, her voice escalating.

"She won't listen in on you unless you act suspiciously, remain calm and act normal, wait for all of this to blow over" Eric seemed to be grasping at straws.

"I will not tell her, but if she finds out, it's not my fault" Carla decided not to tell Sookie for the minute, considering Eric was very unlikely to kill a vampire in his area.

Carla's phone began to ring, and she picked it up almost immediately, it was Bill, as it turned out.

"Yes, Bill?" Carla answered.

"I have a plan to kill the maenad, but you have to help us, come to Sam Merlotte's trailer and we can talk" Bill replied.

"Sam's trailer? Where's Sookie?" Carla asked, wondering why they were not at Bill's house.

"I will update you when you get here, you must hurry" Bill said.

"Okay, i'll be there right away" Carla put the phone down. "I need to go" Carla told Eric, who had a strange and rare emotion on his face, worry. Carla couldn't tell if it was worry for her, or worry for his own behind.

Eric suddenly pulled Carla towards him, wrapping his long muscular arms around her mid section.

Carla was shocked, and simply let her hands rest on the vampire's shoulders, resting the side of her face against his shoulder.

Carla felt the slightest message pass through Eric's head, his thoughts had become blurry, but now they were so close it was clear. "Be careful"

Carla planted a small kiss on the vampire's cheek, and made him release her, she morphed and jumped on the roof of the club, running back towards Bon Temps.

* * *

When Carla arrived at the trailer, Bill and Sam were standing outside in the dirt parking lot, both had their arms crossed and looked solemn.

Carla halted in front of them two, morphing back into her human form.

"What's the plan?" Carla asked, glancing between the two of them.

Both of them looked worried and stressed.

"Listen, according to the queen, who you have had the pleasure of meeting, the only way to kill a maenad is to make her believe that she has summoned forth the divine, and or that to happen, she needs to perfect vessel, any supernatural that straddles the two worlds with a beating heart" Bill explained.

"Like who?" Carla asked.

Bill looked at Sam.

"Sam? He's the vessel?" Carla asked.

"Yes, but in order for him to be the vessel, they need his heart" Bill continued.

"So that's why all those women had their hearts cut out" Carla finally threaded the strings together, there was a woman found in the Merlotte's parking lot before Carla left for Dallas, she had scratches down her back and her heart cut out. Daphne also had her heart cut out, the new waitress at Merlotte's, she was found in the freezer.

"Doesn't that mean that he'll die?" Carla asked, as if nether of them had noticed.

"Yes, well, that's why we need a distraction, then hopefully Maryann will be unable to completely the ritual, and Sam will be able to take the form of her 'god with horns' and only then, when she believes that her god has appeared, will she be able to be killed" Bill finished.

"Very well, and how must i distract her?" Carla asked.

"Just run in there, do a lot of yelling, you might have to break some things, anything, just basically piss her off" Sam said, looking nervous.

"Fine, let's get on with it then" Carla replied.

"This is very dangerous, specially for Sam, but it is the only way, Maryann has Sookie, and god knows what she might be doing to her there" Bill told her.

"I understand that, if this wasn't our only option, we wouldn't be attempting it" Carla smiled sadly. "I will do everything in my power to ensure that everyone gets out of this alive"

* * *

Carla sat on the roof of the Stackhouse home, this time in the form of a giant hawk, looking down on the people around Sookie's house, dancing and swaying to the drum beat music.

Carla saw Bill, holding Sam, pulling him towards the house, according to plan.

A few people ran inside the house, no doubt to inform Maryann that Sam was here. The dum music suddenly died down, and in its place, an out of tune 'Here comes the bride' rendition began.

A string of bride's maids in white dresses walked out of the house, these consisted of lots of people from the town, they were all holding either baskets of flowers or statues and relics of Maryann's, including a large egg with blood stains all over it, and a mask of a bull, suspiciously like what Carla had saved Sookie from.

Jason then manhandled Sookie out of the house as well, followed finally by Maryann, wearing a long flowing wedding dress.

She stepped down the porch steps, Andy Bellefleur behind her holding the tails of her dress off the dirt.

"Maenad!" Bill shouted, getting the woman's attention, pulling Sam closer.

"Bill, what the hell are you doing!?" Sookie asked.

"I have your sacrifice!" Bill told Maryann, who smiled madly.

"Oh my sweet vessel!" She replied.

"I offer him in exchange for Sookie" Bill explained.

Sookie started to protest, jumping and pulling in Jason's hold, but he stood firm. "No, she'll kill him!"

"She's not gonna stop with me" Sam spoke up.

"Take her to the dead man, she's served her purpose" Maryann told Jason.

"Bill you can't let her kill Sam!" Sookie protested, Jason pulled Sookie over to Bill, handing her over to him, Bill restrained her.

Eggs grabbed Sam, and Sookie tried to fight Bill's hold.

"No! Get off of me!" Sookie complained.

"This is the only way" Bill told her.

"Get her outta here! I won't have her watch me die" Sam said, now facing Maryann.

"I will always be grateful to you" Maryann told him, touching his face.

"This isn't for you" Sam snarled at her.

"Gentlemen, he's yours" Maryann told her followers, some men threw Sam to the ground the then manhandled him away.

"Get the hell off me!" Sam shouted at them.

Bill and Sookie started talking in hushed voices, but Bill still held her firm.

"Let us call forth our god" Maryann said, raising her hands. Lafayette placed the bull mask on top of the large wooden structure that was still in the drive way.

"God with horns! Worship him bitches!" Lafayette shouted at the hypnotized towns people, and they bowed down.

"Now the sacrificial egg" Maryann told Tara, and she placed it in the center of the idol.

"Hail Dionysus!" Maryann chanted, and the crowd repeated. "Bromios, Dendrites, Eleutherios, Enorches, Bacchus, all these names are yours, our bull horned god, on this occasion of our marriage, this offering symbolizes the rebirth of our god, when he was a child, the jealous titans ripped him to shreds, eating all but his heart, and this last piece, was saved by his sister, palace Athena, who placed it into the womb of his mother so he could be reborn" Maryann turned around to the idol. "Oh great mother, soon you will have the heart that will make your egg grow fertile, and your son, or bull horned god will stand in your place" Maryann finished, and the music started up again.

Sam was brought back out, tied to a wooden stretcher, bound and gagged.

"No! Stop!" Sookie screamed. "No! Sam!"

Sam was propped up against a tree, and Maryann stood in front of him. "Oh at last, at long long last" She said to him. "He is yours my lord"

A long, thick knife was handed to Maryann.

"You're lucky Sam, it's everyone's wish to have their life mean something, so few ever get to realize it" Maryann told him.

The crowd started to get restless, shouting at Maryann to do it.

"Sam! Use your gift!" Sookie shouted, but Bill whispered something in her ear.

Egg brought the knife down into Sam's chest, and he gurgled.

Maryann requested that the blood be brought to her, so Eggs withdrew the knife and gave it to her.

She took the blood from the knife and rubbed it on her neck, proclaiming that Sam was the vessel that would unite her and her god.

Sookie broke free of Bill and ran to Sam.

Carla recognized her chance, she morphed into her wolf form and jumped down from the building, hitting the ground so hard that it shook beneath her feet. She raised her head and howled, before running towards the idol and jumping into it, causing it to tumble to the ground with another ground shaking thud.

Sookie ran towards her, jumping onto the idol and pulling the egg from the center, smashing it on the ground.

Maryann was staring at Carla, looking furious.

The crowd began to stream an wail, the noise slowly escalating.

Maryann looked to be fuming with rage, she turned around to the group of dominated villagers.

"Lord Dionysus, allow me to sacrifice them all for you!" Maryann's image began to tear and shudder, the whole group started screaming and holding their heads, looking to be dying.

Carla jumped onto the woman, causing her to fall on the ground, Carla kept her distance however, knowing that she was completely immune to her attacks, acting simply as the distraction.

Sookie stood beside her brother, who stopped writhing in pain, and instead stood up straight, fine.

Carla morphed back into her human form.

"Stop this!" She screamed at the maenad.

"You brought this upon everyone" The maenad told her, burying her hands in the ground in one swift and powerful movement, when she pulled them back out, they were long talons.

Carla turned and grabbed Sookie, running away from the woman, hoping that Sam and Bill were ready.

Sookie started screaming for Bill, but Carla continued to pull her forward, until the blonde tripped and fell, and Carla fell with her, due to holding her tightly on her shoulder.

Maryann caught up in less than a second, she raised her claw to Carla.

Before she could strike, the sound of a cow came from nearby.

They both looked up to see what it was, as did Maryann, looking both shocked and excited at the same time.

A large white bull plodded out from the shadows, Maryann withdrew her claws, and lowered her arm, approaching the beast.

"My lord?" She gasped. "My husband"

The bull and Maryann met half way and she raised her hand to pet the beast. "I am here my love" She told it.

The bull let the woman pet it, she sounded as if she was about to cry, her eyes watering and her voice breaking. "We're together at last" Maryann smiled.

"Come to me" Maryann said, spreading her arms wide and facing to the sky, her eyes shut.

The bull rammed its horn deep into the woman's chest, tearing right through her.

"My lord?! I am the one to be sacrificed?" Maryann gasped for air, as it was torn from her punctured lungs. "I am the vessel, yes, i am happy to die" The bull continued to tear at the woman, and she groaned in pain. "I am yours!" She proclaimed.

The bull began to withdraw it's horn from the woman's chest, before transforming back into Sam, who pulled the woman's heart out of her chest, and crushed it in his hand.

"Was there no god?" Maryann asked, with her final breath, before she began to whither, but stopped mid way, suspended eternally, she tumbled to the ground. Truly a garish sight to behold.

Sam threw the heart to the ground, looking exhausted, Sookie was shocked.

Carla got up and pulled Sookie to her feet, she automatically ran to Sam, hugging him.

"Sam she killed you!" Sookie said.

"Almost" Sam corrected. Bill came limping out from the trees a few yards away, Carla ran to him and pulled his arm over he shoulder, supporting him as he was limping stiffly.

"Is she gone?" Bill asked.

"I think so" Carla said.

"Is Sam okay? He took more of my blood than i expected" Bill looked paler than usual.

"He's fine" Carla told him. Sookie ran over to Bill, placing her hands on his face to make him look at her. "I promised Sam i would heal him, we had no other way of destroying her" Bill explained to Sookie.

"Shh, i understand" Sookie nodded.

Sam had gone and gotten some of his clothes back on, so he was not completely naked.

"Sam, you were willing to die for us?" Sookie asked.

"We were all hopeful that it wouldn't happen" Carla said.

"But i was ready for it" Sam told them.

Jason and Tara came sneaking over from the house where they had been standing, their eyes were now normal, so Carla assumed that everything was back to normal.

"We got her?" Jason asked. Carla nodded.

Tara came walking over to Sookie, who hugged her.

"Do you remember anything?" Sookie asked. Tara looked traumatized.

"No, it was bad wasn't it" Tara shuddered.

"Bill, get rid of the body, bury it, i don't care where" Sookie demanded. Carla glanced at Bill and shook her head at him.

"I'll do it, Bill needs to rest" Carla decided, Sookie shrugged.

Carla made her way over to the body, slinging it over her shoulder and going to bury it in a recently used grave so that people would not think to look.

Once she was finished, Carla came back to the house, to find Tara's boyfriend, of which she didn't know the name, scrubbing his hands until they were red raw. Tara was stood next to him, her hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him.

Carla avoided a conversation with them and instead crept upstairs to sleep, though she found it to be a difficult task, due to the fact that their was broken glass and plants all over the floor, all of her possessions were shattered, though she didn't have much, the little that she did have was now gone.

Carla sighed, and tiptoed over the floor, avoiding the piles of glass, she curled up on her bed, pulling her blanket up over herself, even though it had large gaping holes in it.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed the season two finale! Please tell me what you think, leave me a review, thanks so much to all who have already favorited, followed or reviewed, it's good to hear what you all think!**

**The next season is going to introduce some more OC's, lots more Caric and some more surprises, but you'll have to wait and see for yourselves!**

**Here's your double update for the week, sorry there was no weekend update, i am currently on a break, i will be back to making chapters next week, thanks for the support, see you all soon.**

**Until then, **

**-Shad out!**


	20. Turbulence

**Welcome back! Enjoy! Thanks for coming back to read more!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter twenty - Turbulence

* * *

Carla slept for three hours on one of the couches in the club, before she heard the front door open, and more than one set of feet walk in.

The next day Sam decided to open Merlotte's, even after everything, he said that the bar was everyone's, not just his, and they all needed a bit of normality after all that had happened with Maryann.

The day went slowly and despite Merlotte's being open, there were very few people actually in to serve. So Sam allowed Sookie and Carla off early, with Arlene being left to clean up the last tables, as her kids were there anyway.

Carla decided to go and see Eric, to inform him that the maenad was no longer an issue.

Upon her arrival the bar was very lively, as usual, and Carla walked straight in and towards Eric's office.

She heard him speaking to someone inside, but she didn't let that phase her, and she knocked heavily on the door.

The voices became hushed, but Carla could still hear them.

"Vem-" (Who-) Pam's voice asked, but she was interrupted.

"Det är Carla, kommer vi pratar senare, ta henne och visa henne att hennes pol" (It's Carla, we will speak later, take her and show her to her pole) Eric's grumbling voice said with authority and warning.

"skön" (Fine) Pam's default bored voice said, as she back chatted.

The door was suddenly opened, not by Pam though, instead it was opened by Eric, who looked down at Carla with a strange happiness about him, it danced in his eyes and at the edges of his pale lips.

Pam pushed past him, holding the arm of a pretty woman, though she was very skimpily dressed, pulling her out of the office behind her.

"Who was that?" Carla asked, her hand on the door frame leaning against it, looking up at Eric.

"None of your concern" Eric informed her.

Carla scowled at him.

"What are you doing here?" Eric asked.

"I'm here to tell you that the maenad has been dealt with, just in case you hadn't heard" Carla stood up straight and crossed her arms tight across her chest.

"Good work, anything else?" Eric seemed very dispondant, Carla wondered why.

"What is wrong with you? You've been off for a long time now, ever since that night in Dallas, you swing from one extreme to the other" Carla studied the viking's face, looking for any hint of emotion. There was none.

"There is nothing wrong, and if there was, it would be none of your concern" Eric snapped back, turning around and slamming the door.

Carla caught it before it closed, and strode after him.

"I am making it my concern, Eric, just fucking feel something, you're allowed" Carla begged.

Eric swiveled on his heel and got up in Carla's face with his amazing speed. His fangs were unsheathed.

"You do not understand, and you will never understand, i am not Bill Compton, i do not feel, i just fuck, feed and kill" Eric growled intimidatingly in her face.

Carla simply placed her lips against the vampire's, walking him back to the wall, so he could not escape, he responded, grabbing the material of her shirt on her shoulder, piecing her bottom lip with one of his fangs by accident.

She pulled away slowly and hesitantly.

"Do you still not feel anything?" Carla asked him, her eyes wide and focused on his own, unsure and nervous ones, which it may have been the first time in over a century he had felt these feelings.

Though his eyes returned to their same distant look as he had a few moments ago.

"Can you not accept that you are just like the rest?" Eric muttered down at her, his eyes looked as if they were shattering in their sockets, his emotions shone in his shaky gaze.

Carla stepped back, backing away from the vampire, who was still slightly stooped over, following her with his gaze.

She said nothing, she just turned and walked out of the office, and out of the club, if she was going to show emotion, whether he could feel her or not, she would not show it in front of him.

She walked a few blocks down the road before sitting down on the curb. She knotted her hand into a fist, slamming it into the tarmac of the road, her knuckles stung, but she ignored it, the emotional pain was much worse.

Served her right, she thought, getting close to a vampire.

She let her hand contact with the pavement a few more times before she leaned back on her hands, looking up at the completely black night sky.

Her phone sprung to life, informing her she had a call.

"Carla?! Are you there? Listen, Bill's been kidnapped, where are you? Are you at home? Have you seen him?" Sookie squawked down the phone, Carla took a deep breath, pushing back her tears.

"Yeah, i'm in Shreveport, and no, i haven't seen Bill" Carla managed to not show her emotions.

"Shreveport? I'm coming to Fangtasia, if anyone has Bill, it's Eric, i'll meet you there" Sookie said at a million miles an hour.

"Sookie, hey, I-" But Sookie had already put the phone down.

Carla sighed, standing up, wiping her face and taking another deep and soothing breath, heading back towards Fangtasia.

As she walked down the road towards the open door to the club, she saw Sookie already striding inside.

Carla called out to her, jogging over to her.

Pam was already talking to her.

"He's indisposed..." Pam grinned.

"Where?" Sookie asked, and Pam indicated the basement.

Carla strode over to the basement door, rushing down the steps, Sookie at her heels.

The noises that were echoing around the basement already told her what he was doing before she was even able to see the vampire.

He was fucking the woman she had seen Pam take out of his office earlier, they both were completely clothing less.

Carla used all of her strength to hide her emotions, preventing herself from reacting to the sight. She was so focused on ignoring them, that she didn't even realize her knuckles were actually bleeding quite profusely, so much so that it was dripping on the floor.

"Sookie, and Carla, what a pleasure" Eric turned around.

"This is Yvetta, please meet Sookie and Carla" Eric smiled, Sookie greeted the woman, and she spoke back to her in a different language. "She's from Estonia" Eric informed them.

Eric muttered something to the woman before walking over to the two women.

"What brings you to Fangtasia this balmy summer's night?" Eric asked Sookie.

"Bill gone missing, and i think you did it" Sookie told him.

"I didn't, any other theories?"

"I'm still on this one thank you, where were you at eleven this evening?" Sookie persisted.

"Here, with Yvetta" Eric looked smug.

"I was with him at Eleven" Carla corrected him, her voice showing her anger all to much. Eric grinned at her.

"Tell me where i can find Lorena, if you don't have him, she does" Sookie interrupted their staring war.

"Solid theory, but considering your last meeting, i think you should leave that with me" Eric looked back to Sookie.

"I wouldn't leave anything with Eric, he cannot be fucking trusted with anything" Carla growled, turning around and walking up the steps.

"Good night Carla" Eric called after her, mockingly.

Carla didn't respond, too angry and frustrated to even pay attention to him.

* * *

Sookie drove Carla back to the house, where they found Lafayette and Tara in the lounge.

Carla's hand had stopped bleeding, an began to scab over, thought she would heal it in the morning.

"Tara? What is it?" Sookie asked, going to Tara's side.

"It's Eggs" Tara told her, starting to sob.

"Come here" Sookie said, making Tara sit up from where she was lying on the couch. "What happened?"

"They shot him" Lafayette said.

"What?! Who?" Sookie asked, looking at Lafayette.

Carla sighed, rubbing her face with her hands. "Shit" She said.

"Andy Bellefleur, said that Eggs came at him with a knife, confessing to killing them women and cutting out their hearts" Lafayette explained.

"How did he even know that? Didn't everyone forget what happened when they were under Maryann's influence? Unless..." Carla started, but then trailed off, looking at Sookie intensely.

Sookie turned from Carla to Tara, who looked emotionally destroyed.

"Oh my god, Tara, he came to be earlier today saying he needed help what Maryann made him do, so... so i helped him" Sookie gulped, not sure what the woman's reaction would be.

"No you fucking did not!" Tara snapped at the blonde.

"I'm sorry" Sookie gasped, her eyes wide.

Carla stepped forward, worried of what the woman might do to Sookie.

"You're sorry? You signed his death warrant and that's all you got? Fuck you!" Tara jumped on Sookie, pinning her to the ground.

Carla got down and grabbed the woman by her shoulders, pulling her off Sookie, pushing her into the porch, Lafayette grabbed her arm and Carla let her go.

"We're in the same boat! Bill's gone too!" Sookie screamed at her.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, that's Sookie, that's your best friend in this whole fucking world!" Lafayette yelled at Tara, holding her back.

"He didn't need to know!" Tara snapped at Sookie.

"Get her out of here!" Sookie retorted.

"I was just fucking leaving!" Tara pulled herself free of Lafayette, storming out of the door.

"Sorry Sook" Lafayette said, following Tara out.

Carla sighed and shook her head.

"Bad move Sookie, really bad" Carla said.

"He was desperate, Carla! He was so guilty, it would have torn him apart to not know!" Sookie yelled at her.

"Fine" Carla raised her hands protectively. "Fine, i'm going to sleep, I've had quite the night"

"Me too" Sookie agreed, and the two of them filed up the stairs to bed.

* * *

The next day was Sookie's day off, so she did her best to convince the sheriff's office to file a missing person's report on Bill.

Carla went to work at lunch, Sam had left for a few days, so they were down someone already.

The day went quickly, and as night fell, Carla headed back to the house, only to find Sookie in the porch with Pam.

"Where's Carla? I have something for her too" Pam was saying to Sookie, she looked up and saw Carla. "Right on time, here, Eric wanted you to have this" Pam handed Carla a cheque signed by Eric for fifteen thousand dollars.

"I don't want it" Carla offered it back to Pam, but she shook her head.

"He told me you'd try and give it back to me, he also told me to refuse to take it back, sorry" Pam gave her signature smile, before getting all shaky.

"What was that?" Sookie asked, inquisitive.

"Just Eric, calling me, i better check in" Pam told her.

"He can call you?" Sookie asked, but Pam used her speed to leave without answering.

"We need to go and see Jessica, Bill might have tried to call her" Sookie said.

"Okay, but first i need to get changed" Carla informed her, she plodded up to her room, throwing the cheque on her bed, even having that in her presence made her feel like an overpriced hooker.

Carla tried to release her frustration, focusing on trying to find Bill, instead of dealing with Eric.

* * *

Within the hour, they were in Sookie's car, with Jessica driving, Sookie in the passenger seat, and Carla in the back, they were going at a snails pace along a road that Carla didn't even recognize.

"How do you feel now?" Carla asked.

"I think we're getting closer, i'm getting nauseous like last night when-"

"Stop!" Sookie screeched, and Jessica slammed on the brakes, causing the car to rock forward. "That's Bill's car!" Sookie and Carla go out of the car, with Jessica following behind. Muttering that she was a freak of nature.

Sookie ran down the embankment to the car, getting down on her hands and knees next to the car, that was flipped on its hood.

"There's someone inside!" Sookie said, Carla lent down and grabbed the man's hand, pulling him out of the window of the car.

"Check for a cell phone or wallet" Sookie demanded.

Carla checked the man's pockets.

"Nothing" Carla sighed, sitting back on her legs.

"What's that?" Jessica said, crouching next to the man, looking at something on his neck. "Eww..."

"What is that?" Sookie asked.

"I don't know" Carla admitted, standing up.

"We should go to Eric, show him what we've found, maybe he'll be more confident to share with us what he knows now" Sookie said, striding back to the car.

"Sookie... No." Carla said, shaking her head.

"What?" Sookie asked, pausing.

"Not Eric" Carla remembered that Sookie knew nothing about what happened between Eric and her. "Anyone but Eric?"

"What's wrong with you? What happened between the two of you?" Sookie asked, now interested.

"I slept with him Sookie, alright? I thought he was different..." Carla bit her nails nervously.

Carla half expected Sookie to say, serves you right for getting involved with Eric Northman, or something of the like, but she surprised her.

Sookie hugged Carla, rubbing her back.

"I'm sorry, but listen, Eric's the only vampire i know that might know what this means and who has Bill, please, i need your support on this" Sookie looked at Carla hopefully.

"Alright" Carla let her hands drop to her side. "Let's go"

The three of them walked back to the car, heading for Fangtasia.

* * *

Once they arrived, Fangtasia had began to close up, and was deserted, apart from the two vampires.

On the way there, Jessica had used her phone to find out that the marking had something to do with 'Operation werewolf'.

Sookie showed the marking to Eric, who glanced at it.

"It stands for operation werewolf, some kind of secret Nazi commando force from world war two?" Sookie informed him.

"So you found this branded on a dead man's neck?" Eric questioned.

"Yes, Bill called Jessica there last night, this must be some sort of clue to who took him" Carla said, maintaining her stoic appearance.

"Nazi werewolves!" Jessica said from behind the two of them, excited.

"That dead guy, was strong and fast enough to take Bill, he had to be something supernatural, we were hoping you could tell us more" Sookie explained.

Eric's face was adorned with a strange look, as if he was not confident to share his information, he looked almost reminiscent.

"Never seen it before" Eric concluded, burying his hands in his pockets.

"Why do i get the feeling that you've blowing me off?" Sookie asked.

"Because he is" Carla said, Eric glared at Carla, warning her.

"Remember our agreement" Eric growled.

Carla laughed. "I couldn't give a shit anymore Eric, call the police, tell them who i am, where i am, what i have done, let them send me to jail, expose me, they and you do not know what i am, and that's all that matters, no human can overpower me, many vampires also can't, whatever happens, i will escape, and the first one i will be coming for is you" Carla threatened.

Eric blinked, producing his fangs.

"Bring it on" He snarled.

"You can't even overpower me" Carla warned.

"Try me" Eric taunted.

"With pleasure" Carla stiffened, ready to attack.

"Excuse me, please can we stick to the point" Sookie requested, breaking up the two.

"Of course" Eric removed his fangs, and glanced at Pam.

"lämna oss" (Leave us) He said to Pam, and she turned to Jessica.

Carla relaxed, resting her hands flat on the table between Sookie and her and the vampire.

"Let's go to the ladies room and stare at ourselves in the mirror" Pam told Jessica, and she led her away.

"Here's what i know about werewolves, there is a reason their existence has remained merely a myth to humans for thousands of years, they're territorial, vicious and pathologically secretive" Eric paced back and forth in front of them.

"Why does that sound familiar" Sookie asked sarcastically.

"If you add emotionally inept to the mix" Carla added, earning herself a dead stare from Eric, before he looked back to Sookie.

"Here's what i know about you, you're so blinded by your obsession with Bill Compton that you're likely to run through the streets screaming werewolf bait" Eric continued. "Alerting whoever had Bill that we're onto them, or getting yourselves killed"

"You think i'm that stupid?" Sookie asked.

"No, i think you're human" Eric replied.

"Don't underestimate me" Sookie warned.

"Don't underestimate yourself" Eric snapped back. "Your life's too valuable to throw away"

"How sweet" Carla smiled sarcastically at Eric.

"You have no connections in the were community, they're not going to answer your questions because they don't even want you to know they exist" Eric told them.

"I have some old friends i can get in touch with, they owe me some favors" Carla cut in.

"How generous" Eric mocked.

"Unlike you" Carla retorted.

"Bill's out there somewhere, in danger, i can't just go on with life like that's not happening, you know that, maybe better than anyone, when Godric went missing-"

"Bill Compton is no Godric" Eric cut Sookie off.

"But he's everything to me" Sookie started tearing up, Carla looped her arm around Sookie's shoulders, rubbing her shoulder to try and comfort her.

"Please don't do that, it makes me feel disturbingly human"

"It'll probably do you some good then" Carla said, he moved his gaze to her for a moment, and then back to Sookie, who spoke up again.

"I risked my life for Godric, and i don't expect you to do the same for Bill, but at the very least, i hope you'll help me if you can" Sookie's voice quivered.

Eric stared at Carla, glancing at Sookie.

"Sookie?" Jessica said, walking through from the bathroom. "You gotta get me home before dawn" She headed for the door, along with Sookie.

"I'll be out in a minute" Carla said, waiting for the two of them to leave her alone with Eric.

"I just thought i'd tell you that i do know what it feels like to lose someone so close" Carla started, Eric's blue eyes wide. "I had a child, a little boy, his name was Eric, the rules of my people require all children to have a certain amount of talent in the arts, he was sadly lacking, so they took him from me, no more than seven years old, i had to watch my child burn" Eric's eyes widened even more.

"So don't you ever tell me that i do not understand, loss is the most human of all emotions, and even you have felt it, you need to realize that you are human, under that hard, thick exterior... there's good in you" Carla turned away from the vampire, not saying another word, just leaving him.

* * *

The next morning before work, Sookie and Carla spent cleaning up the house in the wake of Maryann, as there was mud smear up the walls and sticks hidden all of the house.

Before work they managed to clean the kitchen completely.

Carla left for work first, as Arlene had started to moan about always feeling she was alone waiting tables considering the lack of waitresses at Merlotte's.

Carla was in the kitchens packing away the delivery into the freezer and onto the shelves when Sookie and Terry came in.

Sookie had an armful of clothing, and she placed it on the metal table in the center of the room.

"Won't he come back for his clothes?" Terry asked, putting on his apron.

"Oh he'll come looking for more than that" Sookie said.

"What happened?" Carla asked, emerging from the freezer.

"I saw someone in the bushes around Merlotte's, i'm sure he was coming to get me, then Terry came by and scared him away, we found the prints of his boots changed into paw prints, wolf prints" Sookie explained.

"Well at least Terry was there for you, i should have been, crap" Carla said, kicking the side of the freezer.

"It's okay, i heard him before i saw him, i would have been able to get into the door before he caught me anyway" Sookie assured her.

Carla sighed. "Sure"

"You'd make me feel much better if you let me call Andy" Terry said.

"I've already got somebody on it, he's a sheriff, and a vampire" Sookie explained.

Terry looked very uncomfortable.

"I wouldn't trust him with this, Sookie, Eric is very unreliable in this case, trust me, he has other motives" Carla told Sookie.

"Like what?" Sookie asked, putting her hand on her hip.

"Like having you as his, Bill being missing is no detriment to him, if Bill disappears, you don't belong to anyone"

Sookie shrugged. "I will never belong to Eric Northman" She said, determined.

"Listen, Terry, you can't tell anyone about this, i don't want yo put you in any danger" Carla told Andy.

"I'm not so good with secrets" Terry looked uncomfortable.

"I think you're a lot better at things than you give yourself credit for" Sookie commented.

Arlene came storming in, furious. "I've been out there hollering foe help for ten minutes" She told Terry.

"I'm sorry darlin' i didn't here ya, let me get that" Terry said, trying to help Arlene.

"No! I can do it all by myself, just like i do everything else!" Arlene said, storming out of the room again.

Terry sighed. "Do you mind telling Arlene that i'm good at things and all?" He asked the two of them.

"Sure, but if you want my advice, tell her yourself, you wait to tell people what you feel about them, you never know what could happen" Sookie replied.

Sookie walked towards the door.

"Sookie, hold up" Terry said, picking up a can from under the kitchen counter, pulling out a gun. "You know how to use one of these?" He asked her, handing it over.

"I'm not that blonde" Sookie checked that it was loaded. Carla was slightly surprised. But went back to work.

The rest of the day seemed to fly by, the place wasn't busy, but Carla stayed until leaving time, Arlene and Terry stayed to lock up, so Carla could go home with Sookie and make sure she was safe.

* * *

Carla sat on the front porch with a blanket around her, while Sookie rested on the couch inside, Carla was wide awake, glancing around the drive way.

With a rush of wind, Eric appeared on the porch in front of her.

"Hello, Carla" He greeted.

"Evening" She nodded, looking uninterested.

"They came for her?" Eric asked.

"Yes, just one, this morning, he took off before Sookie could get anything" Carla leaned back on the seat, looking up at the vampire. "That why you're here? Or have you heard something about Bill?" Eric blinked quickly, his eyes still a little wide, just like the previous night.

"I lied to you" He said.

"Why am i not surprised" Carla smiled.

"You better get Sookie, i need you both to hear this" Eric requested, sitting down on one of the porch seats.

Carla got up, holding the blanket around her, walking inside to wake Sookie, only to find her behind the door.

They sat and listened to Eric explain that he had been hunting a pack of werewolves with this make on them, as they were fueled by vampire blood, and the vampire giving them the blood had them doing his will. He spoke about when he and Godric were in the SS in World War Two hunting the pack, but they never found who was the leader.

"We posed as whatever would help us get what we wanted" Eric explained.

"But you were hunting the Nazi werewolves?" Sookie asked.

"The symbol is runic, this pack dates back long before the Nazi party" Eric explained.

"So they aren't Nazi's?"

"No, they're much more than that, their organised, well funded, highly trained, and fueled by vampire blood" Eric continued.

"Why didn't you tell us this last night?" Sookie asked.

"Because there is something to gain out of telling us this" Carla inquired.

"No, the better question is why am i risking everything to tell you now" Eric said back. "My loyalty is not to Bill, on the contrary it would be advantageous to me if he was never found, but..."

"But..?" Carla asked. Eric was gazing at her.

"Now they're coming for you, and i owe you" Eric brushed it off, turning away.

"And you're saying your risking everything to tell us, what did that mean?" Carla asked.

"The goal tonight was to keep you out of danger, not put you in more of it"

Eric stood up and walked towards the porch steps, Carla stood up at well.

"Eric? Where are you going?" Carla asked.

"No where, you're going to invite me in, so i can protect you, or have passionate primal sex with you" Eric stepped closer to Carla, forcing her to back away.

"That won't be necessary, i am more than capable of protecting myself and Sookie without your help, and i certainly don't need your sexual favors either, considering what happened last time" Carla placed her hands on her hips, standing up to the vampire.

"Go on, just invite me in, you enjoyed it last time" Eric grinned down at her, but she remained serious.

Sookie raised her hand and flicked her hair off her shoulder.

Eric looked down at her ring.

"To have and to hold" Eric began, wandering up and down the porch. "to love and to cherish, to blah, blah, blah, blah unto death do you part, doesn't bother than you will be the only one doing the dying?" Eric asked her.

"I'm not going to talk about this with you" Sookie told him, leaning against one of the posts on the porch.

"Okay, so you'd really rather stay out here all night than invite me in?" Eric asked.

"Sookie" Carla turned to her. "Go back to sleep, i'll stay out here" Sookie nodded, going back towards the door.

Carla heard something from inside the house.

"Sookie!" Carla walked to the door, going inside, pulling the woman back outside. She morphed in mid step, as the werewolf padded in from the back room.

Carla, in her cheetah form, intimidated the small pup in comparison.

Sookie came running in, aiming the gun that Terry had given her, and shooting at the wolf, that wads now cowering back at the sight of Carla.

Eric then ran inside, being invited in by Sookie previous to her firing of the gun, he jumped in the way of the bullet, taking it instead.

The vampire fell to the floor, blood erupting from his chest.

The wolf saw the blood, and jumped for the vampire, managing to get some blood from his chest, morphed back into his human form.

Carla pinned the wolf to the floor, growling down at him.

"Who do you work for?!" Carla growled down at the man, who coughed and spluttered, vampire blood in his mouth. Carla dug her claws into the man, he cried out in pain.

"Fuck you bitch! If i tell you, i'm as dead as that vamper'" Carla looked down and saw the same brand on the man's neck.

"Very well" Carla, in one fatal bite, tore the man's throat out.

She morphed back into her human form, and grabbed the man by the back of the neck. "I will dispose of this, you better come with me Sookie" Carla glanced at Eric, and then at Sookie, who nodded in agreement.

They all headed to the cemetery to bury the body.

As Carla covered up the man, shoveling dirt on top of his body.

"So much for keeping his alive so we could question him" Sookie finally spoke up.

"That's what i was planning" Carla admitted. Eric nodded in agreement.

"Then you saw him attack Eric?" Sookie asked, an eyebrow raised at Carla, who glared at her.

"He had Eric's blood inside him, werewolves on V can be very powerful, sometimes even more powerful than a vampire" Carla explained, throwing the last shovel full of dirt on the pile.

"Well, thanks for saving my life" Sookie said to Carla, who shrugged it off.

"How's your bullet wound?" Carla asked Eric.

"Would have healed quicker if i had a piece of you" He winked. Carla considered pummeling him around the head with the shovel, but instead she put it down, making sure she didn't.

"Come on" Carla told Sookie, heading back towards the house, Eric followed.

"Do you know anyone called Jackson? That's all i could make out in his thoughts, maybe that's the person he's working for?" Sookie asked, addressing Eric more than Carla.

"Jackson is where he lives, he had a Mississippi accent, can't you people tell the difference?" Eric explained.

"That's where Bill must be then" Carla said, putting two and two together.

"We have to go like yesterday!" Sookie told them both.

"I can't, not yet" Eric muttered. "The problems of the world consist of more than finding your missing boyfriend" Eric told her. you shouldn't go by yourself anyway, the werewolves are looking for you, you're no good to Bill or to me if you're dead"

"How can you expect me to sit around and do nothing when we finally have a lead?" Sookie grumbled.

"It will be morning by the time you get to Jackson, if you are seriously considering rescuing a missing vampire during daylight i have seriously overestimated your intelligence" Eric answered. Sookie climbed the porch steps, pausing on the second step to look down at Eric.

"Take the day to think it over" Eric added.

"Fine, i'll leave tomorrow" Sookie told him. "I have to, Bill would do it for me"

"Then i will come with you too" Carla said, "come on, you need to get some rest" Carla led Sookie up the steps and into the house.

Eric stepped up the porch steps.

"Be careful"

"Eric, i'm always careful" Carla smiled. "Good night" Eric winked at her, with a rare genuine smile, and ran off into the night. Carla locked the door behind her and went to go to sleep.

* * *

**Hope you liked this crazily long chapter, i kinda got carried away. Thanks for all your kindness and support! Please feel free to favorite, follow and review if you like my fanfic! Tell me what you think, i am happy to hear! **

**Hope to see you next time, as usual, chapters will be out as fast as they can be!**

**-Shad out**


	21. Dangerously Familiar

**Welcome back! Hope you enjoy! Thanks for all your support guys!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter twenty-one - Dangerously Familiar

* * *

Dawn seemed to come early the next day, and before she knew it, Carla was standing at the bar in Merlotte's, on the other side this time, waiting for Sookie to talk things over with Sam, Carla had to do the same, of course, but Sam told them one at a time.

Carla leaned heavily on the bar, completely exhausted after not getting much sleep the previous night due to watching over Sookie.

She heard the door of Merlotte's swing open behind her, and she automatically turned to see who had entered.

She wished she hadn't.

Two very familiar figures walked in, standing in the isle between the tables, a few steps away from Carla.

She tried to remain still and quiet. Going back to staring at her lemonade.

The first man, tall with cinnamon colored hair, and matching eyes, a muscular build with broad, strong shoulders. He was wearing a black tank top under a denim jacket, with black jean pants.

The second, was more skinny, but still slightly muscular, with grey eyes and a matching grey jacket with blue jeans and short bleach blonde hair.

The two of them glanced around, looking over the occupants of the bar, Carla physically felt the weight of their eyes on her for a few moments, before they passed off onto another.

Carla sucked in a deep breath.

She needed to escape.

She finished her lemonade, placing the glass back on the counter.

Arlene came over to the two men.

"Hello and welcome to Merlotte's, how are ya'll doing today, any where in particular you'd like to sit this fine morning?" She asked them.

"We'll just sit at the bar thank you, we're not really hungry" The blonde explained, she could hear the smile on his face without even seeing it.

"Very well, take a seat wherever you fancy, i'll come and take your order in a minute" Arlene smiled and walked away from them.

Thankfully the two sat a few chairs down from Carla, she forced herself to stay put where she was for a few seconds before getting up seemingly normally and walking past them.

They didn't react.

Carla let out a huge sigh of relief.

She strode round the corner so she was out of sight.

"Thank you, Sam" Sookie finished.

"Hey, Sam, i need to do this quick, i'm going with Sookie to Jackson for a few days, i'm sure she has explained, but i really need to go and i am so sorry and you can fire me if you want because i know this is immensely disrespectful to anyone specially my boss but i can't hang around" Carla grabbed Sookie by the arm and yanked her towards the back exit of the bar.

"What? Hey, what the hell?" Sam shouted after them, but Carla ignored him.

"Carla, what is the lords name is wrong with you?" Sookie asked, with Carla still dragged her by her arm back to the car.

"I saw someone a knows in the bar, they're here for me" Carla explained, pushing Sookie into the passenger seat of the car, and getting in the drivers side.

"Did he see you?" Sookie asked.

"THEY didn't, we need to get going as soon as possible" Carla started up the engine.

"In the afternoon, we can't leave to early" Sookie said.

"Fine, but as soon as we can" Carla said. And Sookie nodded in agreement.

She pulled the car out of the Merlotte's parking lot, steering towards home.

* * *

Sookie went out for a few hours after they got back, to reconcile with Tara.

When she got back, Carla was in the middle of scrubbing the blood out of the hallway mat from the previous night.

"Oh you don't have to do that" Sookie said, leaning on one leg and putting one hand on her hip.

"Why not? i made the mess" Carla smiled, glancing around at the blonde. That was when she saw the burly man walking up the drive way towards the house.

"Sookie, go inside" Carla said, getting up.

"Why? What is..." Sookie asked, before following Carla's gaze and seeing the man.

"Stop!" Carla ordered and the man did so. Dogs always know the voice of the dominant one, Carla thought. "Who the hell are you?" She asked.

"I'm Alcide Herveaux, Eric Northman sent me" The man explained, shouting so that they could hear him from the distance.

"Ain't no one here needing protection" Carla shouted back.

"Come on inside, i'll make us some tea" Sookie shouted at the man, and he began to walk up towards the house.

"Sookie! What the fuck!?" Carla turned to face the blonde.

"Carla, Eric obviously sent him because he knows the Jackson pack, why else would he bother?" Sookie crossed her arms in front of her defensively.

"To piss me off for a start" Carla grumbled, going inside.

Sookie showed Alcide to the table, before going into the kitchen to make the tea, Carla sat on the far side of the table, and Alcide sat opposite her.

"If Eric Northman sent you, what did he tell you about us?" Carla asked, leaning forward with one arm on the table.

"Said there was a pretty blonde, and she had a friend, brown hair and eyes, kinda wolfish and intense" Alcide answered, he had one arm over the back of the chair, and his wrist resting on the table, relaxed.

"Heh, you know that kinda sounds like him" Carla leaned forward with both arms. "I just want you to know that i am not angry at you, i am angry at the fact that Eric Northman thinks i can't handle a couple of weres on my own and i cannot disassociate myself with him and just to let you know, you may think that we are the same, but i assure you, we are like two sides of the a coin"

"Opposite but the same?" Alcide asked, slightly confused.

"Exactly" Carla sat up straight as Sookie came in, and Alcide copied.

"You're friend is definitely in a bad mood today" Alcide said, as Sookie laid down his tea in front of him.

"Oh she's just got a bee in her bonnet cos she saw someone she didn't appreciate much at work, and boyfriend issues of course" Sookie smiled.

"Sookie!" Carla exclaimed.

"What? It's so damn obvious that you're still hung over Dallas, whatever happened between you two really rubbed you up the wrong way" Sookie laid down Carla's tea.

"Dallas?" Alcide asked.

"I think frustrated is a better way to put it" Carla said. "It's none of your concern, Eric Northman is definitely not getting anywhere near me again, i can assure everyone of that, i have learned my lesson the hard way" She finished, smiling.

"The house is in no state for guests, i'll explain in the car, but i'm sorry for the mess" Sookie told Alcide, sitting down next to Carla.

Alcide looked at Sookie dead on. "Yes it is" Sookie said, looking completely neutral.

"Alright, enough speaking in your heads" Carla complained.

"Well it can be useful if Alcide and i and in a room full of strangers" Sookie said.

"I'll keep that in mind" Alcide nodded.

"So, why can't Mr Eric Northman look after you himself?" Alcide asked.

"Because its not like that between them, Sookie and Eric are like polar opposites, his deceit just doesn't go with her innocence" Carla said.

"Eric and I don't tend to see eye to eye, and i am no innocent" Sookie corrected.

"Or that's what she'd have you believe" Carla smiled.

Sookie mock slapped her arm.

"How'd he rope you in to taking us to Jackson?" Sookie asked.

"My old man, he's got a construction company in Caddo parish, came up a little short on a project, went to Northman for a loan" Alcide explained.

"Bad choice" Carla commented.

"Well you take what you can get" Alcide told her. "Only reason i'm here is to help him get out of debt, i don't do favors for vamps, plus i know the pack you're sniffin' around, you ain't gettin' no where without an in" He finished.

"Are you friends with them?" Sookie asked.

"I wouldn't call them friends exactly" He admitted.

"Ex?" Carla questioned.

"Is banging their leader" Alcide finished.

"Sorry" Carla and Sookie said at the same time.

"That pack is a cancer to our kind" Alcide began, looking grim. "Weres have lived in Jackson for almost two hundred years without a single human knowing about it, now these sons of bitches come to town, there's a crime streak a mile wide, i'd like to say the rest of us are above violence, but you shut the barn door behind you" He finished, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"One of them came after me last night, in here" Sookie informed him.

"Northman mentioned that, looks like a hell of a fight" Alcide said, staring at Carla.

"Great, what did he tell you?" Carla sat up.

"He just told me that you killed the were" Alcide admitted.

"Well yeah, it's all part of the job description" Carla indicated Sookie.

"You ready for more of that in Jackson?" Alcide asked.

"Bring it on" Carla shrugged.

"They took someone i love from me, i don't know about you but i was raised to fight back" Sookie sounded determined.

"Great, she'll get us both killed" Alcide said, Carla couldn't tell if he was joking or being serious.

"Sounds like a walk in the park" Carla joked.

"I'll pack light" Sookie added.

* * *

After arriving in Jackson, Alcide took Carla and Sookie straight to a bar called Lou Pine's, where he was sure that the pack was hanging around.

As Alcide pulled open the large doors to the club, allowing the two women to walk in first, he seemed to tense, as if ready for a fight.

He closed the door behind him, and stood next to Carla, who was stood next to Sookie as they both inspected the bar layout and inhabitants.

"May not look like much, but Lou Pine's is the oldest were bar is Mississippi" Alcide said, glancing nervously around for familiar faces.

"Alcide!" A man who was leaning against a table called them over, he was very close to the door, welcoming the patron's in, the two wolves shook hands, both smiling. "It's nice to see a face from the old pack" The man commented, he was covered in tattoos, though they were less visible due to the dark color of his skin, his head was shaven, and he seemed like the nice sort, friendly and genuine.

"Well i figured the new wolves are drinking enough for all of us" Alcide explained, looking out at the bar again, remaining slightly tense, though less so then when he first entered.

The man turned his gaze to the to women, glancing between Carla and Sookie, sizing them up, his eyes lingered on Carla, she wasn't sure if it was her peculiar scent or the fact that she too was inspecting him.

"Who're the civilians?" The man asked, indicating the two of them.

"They're cool, friends" Alcide nodded.

"Am i not dress properly?" Sookie asked, glancing down at her attire, after inspecting the amount of people in the bar wearing leathers, bandannas and adorned with tattoos.

"You look like dinner" The man said to Sookie.

"She has a habit of dressing that way" Carl admitted, though she wasn't too proud of her own attire, denim shorts with a large grey T-shirt stained with paint. "I'll keep an eye on her, and make sure she doesn't attract to much unwanted attention" Carla smiled.

"Though you're not much better?" The man asked. She shrugged at him.

"I am more than capable of handling myself" Carla smiled pleasantly, crossing her arms in front of her chest, the man raised an eyebrow, with a smile.

"I'll keep and eye on them Hollis" Alcide assured him, and he seemed more confidant then. Sookie walked around the man and into the main bar area, Carla and Alcide followed.

"You're going to have to split off, they see me with you they ain't gonna talk" Alcide talked close to Sookie's ear.

"Where you gonna be?" Sookie asked Alcide.

"With my guys, i'll be watching you, you make it quick, for your own sake" Alcide said, breaking off away from Sookie and Carla.

"And you? Where will you be?" Sookie asked her.

"Right over by the back door, i'll be watching you as well, just don't do anything overly stupid" Carla smiled, striding away before she could get slapped.

Carla leaned against the wall, watching Sookie mingle with the werewolves, her mind began to wander back to Eric, when she was with him in the office.

He definitely didn't respond to her affections as if she was just another girl, but then again, Eric was a master of deception, he could do whatever he wanted to get someone to believe him or do what he wanted, for all she know he could be stringing her along.

No, she refused to allow him to manipulate her, she wanted to know where she was with the person she loved, know he could be trusted one hundred percent, without a single doubt to linger in her mind. But still, she couldn't keep the vampire out of her mind.

A cheer went up in the bar which broke Carla's train of thought, she looked up to see Sookie being dragged away by a were clad in full leather with a large bushy black beard. She glanced at Alcide, who was alert and worried, Sookie disappeared into a side room, and Alcide came striding across the room to follow.

Carla was at the door before he was even close. She heard Sookie screaming inside, and she grabbed the were by the shoulder, making him turn to face her. she aimed a punch right into his cheek, just below the eye, and he cried out in pain.

The man charged Carla, he was stronger and any were she had ever encountered. He pushed her back against the wall, but Carla grabbed the clothes on his back in her fists, picking his feet up off the ground and running out of the door into the bar, throwing the man to the ground.

A crowd formed quickly, and Alcide ran into the middle, trying to break up the fight, which caused more weres to join. Carla floored one man and stamped down hard on his knee cap, fracturing it, he was doubled over in pain.

Another man charged her, but she flipped him over so he landed square on his back, frozen by pain.

That was when she noticed two men were holding Alcide still while the man that had taken Sookie out of sight was beating him.

Carla raised her shoe and propelled it into the man's crotch, causing him to clutch them defensively.

As he recovered, about to come for her, he was hit from behind by a baseball bat, wielded by the man they had met at the door, Hollis.

"God damn! I'm gonna run out of bats if he keeps this shit up!" The man cursed. The two men holding Alcide dropped him hard onto the floor, Carla lunged forward and they backed off, scuttling away into the crowd. She crouched down next to him, surveying the damage.

"Anything hurt?" She asked him, and he nodded.

"Just about everything" He replied, coughing.

"Get him out of here! Now!" Hollis shouted at the were's goons, and carried the now unconscious were out of the bar, as ordered.

Sookie emerged from the room, looking a little shaken.

The crowd dispersed, and Hollis knelt down next to Alcide, Carla still checking for serious damage, weres may have been ferocious, but they were also fragile, much like a glass cannon.

"Come on man, she's not worth it" Hollis said.

"I barely even know her" Alcide grumbled, thinking Hollis was talking about Sookie.

"I'm talking about Debbie!" Hollis corrected.

"What about Debbie?" Alcide asked, clueless.

"Oh shit, umm, Debbie's getting engaged to Coot" Hollis broke it to him softly. Alcide paused for a moment, and then sighed deeply.

"Come on Hollis, stop it" He said, wiping his forehead.

"Well, the party's tomorrow night, here" Hollie said, full of regret. "I'm sorry i gotta be the one to break it to you"

Alcide glanced back at Sookie.

"Come on, we gotta go and get back" Carla said, giving Alcide and hand to get up. "I think this is enough excitement for tomorrow night, after that Sookie's not going to get anyone to talk to her" Alcide nodded in agreement.

Carla offered Alcide her shoulder, and he took it, leaning on the woman, Sookie helped support him too.

"I am sorry for the ruckus we caused, Mr Hollis" Sookie apologized, and the man simply nodded.

* * *

Carla drove Alcide's van back to his apartment, and helped him inside, sitting him down on the bed and stripping off his shirt so she could treat his wounds.

Sookie sat on the bed next to him, looking slightly shell shocked.

Alcide growled like a typical were every time Carla dabbed his wounds with disinfectant.

"I should have been strong enough to beat that fucker to a pulp" Alcide grumbled.

"Don't take it personally, that were you were fighting had vampire blood in him, Bill's in fact, so i know it's strong" Sookie explained, picking up a wound dressing and placing it over one of the cuts on Alcide's back that Carla had already treated.

Alcide huffed and puffed as Carla finished dabbing the last of his wounds, and covering them.

"Werewolves doing V? Goes against everything we stand for" Alcide replied.

"Seems like this pack just lives to break all the rules, reminds me a little of me" Carla admitted, which earned her a bitter glance from Alcide.

"Is the rest of the pack into that shit?" He asked Sookie.

"The ones who took Bill at least" Sookie answered.

"Like a need more reasons to hate them" Alcide replied.

"Do you know where or who they took Bill too?" Carla asked, handing Alcide his shirt, to which he nodded in appreciation.

"No, i don't" Sookie admitted, falling into silence for a moment. "Is Debbie your ex-girlfriend?" Sookie asked, Carla gave her a warning glance, to which she mouthed 'what?' back at her.

"She was my fiance" Alcide said. "She moved out a month ago"

"A month?" Sookie seemed surprised. "And you still haven't got new furniture?" She asked, looking around the flat.

Alcide sighed. "I don't have time for it"

"You ever hear from her?" Sookie asked. Carla sat down against the wall, looking down to see a blood pool at her hips on his shirt and shorts.

"My sister Janice does, she runs a beauty parlor, Debbie still goes in to get her hair done up" Alcide replied. Silence followed.

"We can't help who we love, our hearts decide, not our heads" Carla said, before she realized she was saying it out loud, Alcide and Sookie stared at her.

Sookie's phone sprung to life. She ran to pick it up.

Carla heard the one sided conversation that occurred between Sookie and Bill, which ended with Sookie in tears and Alcide and Carla looking on with concern.

"What does he mean he doesn't wanna be found?" Sookie asked, dropping her phone on the bed next to her as she sat down, and Alcide got up.

"He means what he says?" Carla suggested. Alcide nodded in agreement.

"But that isn't what he meant!" Sookie sobbed.

"Well what did he say?" Alcide asked.

"I don't know what he said i just know that isn't the man i love!" Sookie continued.

"Well, maybe the man you love only ever existed inside your head?" Carla asked. Sookie glared.

"Oh, is that supposed to be making me feel better? Thanks a bunch!" Sookie wiped her eyes.

"All i know is that no matter how well you think you know somebody they can still turn around and kick you in the nut sack" Alcide got up to get Sookie a tissue.

"I don't have a nut sack... and Bill, he's risked everything for me" Sookie took a deep breath. "Our love is way bigger than him breaking up with me over the phone!" she began sobbing again.

Carla got up and came to sit next to her, with Alcide on the other side.

"How many relationships you been in?" Alcide asked Sookie.

"What does that matter?!" Sookie winged.

"All i'm saying is there is no nice way of getting out of these things" Alcide said, shrugging.

"You got that right" Carla agreed, thinking back to Eric again.

Sookie began sobbing loudly again, so Alcide pulled her he onto his shoulder and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, comforting her.

"Oh my god you're so warm" Sookie said.

"I'm sorry"

"It's okay i'm just not used to it" Sookie admitted, slowly stopping her crying.

"It's a were thing" Carla and Alcide said at the same time.

"They're so easy to recognize, it's surprising they've gone this long without being found out" Carla continued.

"I thought maybe you were coming down with the flu" Sookie interrupted.

Alcide chuckled. Before standing up to leave.

"You two probably want some privacy" Alcide muttered.

"Fine, i need some rest anyway" Carla said, shuffling back up the bed to lay down.

"Good night Alcide" Sookie said, getting up to get changed.

Alcide left the room, smiling back at them.

Sookie sat up almost all night, keeping Carla up with her negative energy, plus she felt guilty getting a good nights sleep when Sookie was wide awake.

Sookie's phone rang, causing Carla to sit up as she answered.

"Tara?" She answered the call. "Bill broke up with me" Sookie muttered, about to get up out of bed, but Carla caught her leg so she could hear the other side of the conversation. Something wasn't right.

Sookie looked confused, not knowing what was going on, but Carla put her finger over he lips to make her shush. Sookie opened her mouth the tell Tara where she was, but Carla quickly shook her head.

"No i just need to cry my eyes out for about a week" Sookie said, watching Carla for directions.

"What you need is your best friend, right now, give me your address" Tara said from down the phone, her voice was different, full of less profanities then usual, for sure, and more wooden and controlled.

Carla shook her head again, telling Sookie not to tell her.

"A-after all you've been through? I don't want you getting mixed up in my mess" Sookie said, her eyes slightly wide.

"You'd do it for me, i'm getting in the car right now, address?!" Tara asked again.

Carla shook her head again, mouthing 'no address'.

"I'm exhausted, i'll call you tomorrow i promise!" Sookie quickly cut the phone off, and closed it.

"What the hell was that about?!" Sookie asked, staring at Carla, who unhanded the waitress.

"I think that Bill was taken by a vampire" Carla concluded, sitting up straight in the bed, thoughtful. "Tara was just being glamoured by a vampire, did you notice that? That strange wooden quality to her voice? too controlled to be Tara, there are vampires involved with this, maybe they didn't take Bill, but they are certainly after you, it must be Eric, or Bill has told someone what you can do, and now they are interested" Carla explained, trying to work it out.

"Well yes, Lorena has Bill" Sookie said. "I heard her on the phone when he called me earlier"

"Lorena has no control over Bill, she released him, this is not Lorena, this is someone much older and more powerful than her" Carla deduced, and Sookie laid down in bed.

"You work it out, i actually am exhausted, i need some rest" Sookie said, pulling the blankets of the double bed up over herself. Carla laid down too, facing away from the fairy.

"Good night" Sookie said.

"Good night Sookie" Carla said, now too awake to sleep.

* * *

Carla ended up with her eyes wide open all night, thinking about the events of the previous night.

When the morning light poked in through the curtains of the bedroom, it didn't take Sookie a few minutes to pull herself out of bed to seek breakfast.

Carla knitted her eyes shut, and prayed for some form of rest for the evening, but it simply wouldn't come to her.

"No fucking way!" she heard Alcide yell from the kitchen, probably at Sookie, so she pulled herself out of bed and strode towards the ruckus. "I've payed my debt to Eric Northman!" Alcide complained.

"I know you're still hurting over Debbie, but seeing her with those creeps, might help you get over her" Sookie explained.

"Are you insane? Us turning up after last night is just asking to get killed!" He continued to yell at Sookie.

"Hey? No sleep? Any courtesy?" Carla asked, still drowsy.

"Yeah fine, i'm done here anyway, you go if you want to, just don't put your shit on me!" Alcide said, walking away with his breakfast.

"What the hell was that about?" Carla asked, yawning.

"We need to go to that engagement party tonight and get some more information about Bill" Sookie said, sipping her orange juice.

"Well we're not going to get anywhere in terms of answers if you go dressed like you were last night, looked like a sheep in a pack of wolves, literally, and i'm not much better" Carla grumbled.

"Fine, Alcide said his sister worked at the beauty parlor, i'll find her number and call her" Sookie said.

"And i'll go back to bed and get some rest" Carla began walking back to the bedroom.

"Nope, i'll ask her to come asap so you better get washed an dressed" Sookie corrected, stimulating a tired groan from Carla, who buried her face in the pillows on the bed.

* * *

**Thanks for reading, i hope you enjoyed the chapter, and please feel free to let me know if you did, i love to hear your feedback, and it inspires me to continue writing.**

**Almost forgot to update twice today, silly me, i am back to writing now and will keep up with double updates on Tuesdays, though my course is now coming to a close so i am swamped with work, but i will try my best.**

**See you next time,**

**-Shad out**


	22. A Cold Reunion

**Welcome back!**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter twenty-two - A Cold Reunion

* * *

The knock on the door boomed through the house and Sookie ran to answer it. Carla was only just climbing out of the shower, she she dried off her hair with the towel so it wasn't dripping too much, followed by her body, and quickly pulled her clothes on.

When she came out Sookie was sat at the dining table, and Janice, Alcide's sister, had her equipment all over the table and floor.

"Don't get too excited, Alcide and i are just working together" Sookie was telling her.

"Well you don't look like you work construction to me" Janice joked.

"No, someone i care about has gone missing, and Alcide has inside information about the folks i think have him" Sookie explained.

"Well, are you with my brother, at least slept with him? Anything to get his mind moving forward instead of looking back" Janice asked Carla.

"No" Carla chuckled. "I'm just here with Sookie, my status on the relationship front if rather disastrous at the moment" she added.

Janice nodded with a frown.

"Sookie called because we need to get into Lou Pine's without standing out" Carla explained, her hands in her jean pockets, wet hair straggled everywhere.

"You gotta look the part? Well that is my specialty" Janice wandered round the table, focusing on Sookie first. "How deep do you wanna go?" She asked the blonde.

"I wanna look like i can kick some serious ass" Sookie said, and Janice grinned, and chuckled. "Which i can!" Sookie added.

"Alright, let's pick out some temporary tattoos" Janice started, picking up a large black folder. "No chance of anything more between either of of you and my baby brother?" she asked, turning back to Sookie with the book in hand.

"I'm not really looking" Carla said.

"He's still hung up on his ex" Sookie continued. "I guess finding out about the engagement party tonight didn't help much"

"Yeah, right" Janice put the book down in front of Sookie. "Engagement party" She sounded unsure.

"Excuse me?" Sookie asked, seeming to pick up on the strange reply too. Carla lent against the door frame just behind the two women.

"No, no, that's right, engagement party, that's right" she tried to correct her mistake. "Honestly how'd he find out"

"Well Hollis told him last night" Carla said.

"Oh well then" Janice stood up and started pressing a fake tattoo against Sookie's back.

"If Alcide still loves Debbie, don't you think he should go and try and talk her out of it?" Sookie asked.

"No he should not, my psychic told him point blank if he stayed with her he would get himself killed" Janice said firmly. "Did he listen? No, she ended up dumping his ass"

"Why'd he stay with her so long?" Carla asked, covering up a yawn.

"She was his first love, he never met somebody so alive, all that shit... but how many bullets you gon' take for somebody? How many bad things have gotta happen to you and the people that you love before feelin' alive ain't enough" Janice frowned. "I'm just glad he made it out alive" she continued to add tattoos to Sookie's back.

It took the rest of the afternoon and a portion of the evening before both of the women were done, Sookie was done up in a leather sleeveless shirt and leather pants, fake tattoos, leather gloves and black wig included.

Carla had a tight leather corset on, with black wings tattooed on her back, and a intricate fake tattoo pattern down her arm. Her hair was also covered with a fake wig, making it long, curly and black. She had long leather trousers covering her legs, heavy black boots, with large oval ear rings and net gloves that went half way up her fore arm.

"Hello?" Alcide asked as he came in.

"In here" Sookie called back.

He came walking around the corner and looked at the two women.

"Wow, i guess my sister took to you" He commented.

"Debbie's getting initiated into Coot's pack, and she's addicted to V" Sookie told him out right.

"Sookie! We agreed!" Carla exclaimed, covering her face with her palm.

"He deserves to know!" Sookie complained.

"Shut the fucking door, Debbie's a blood head? How'd you find out?" Alcide responded, looking shocked.

"I was poking around in Janice's brain" Sookie explained. "She didn't tell you because she was trying to protect you"

"Well then why didn't you let her! Even you're friend didn't agree to this!" Alcide dropped a pack of beers down on the table he had bought.

"Because i know you still care about Debbie, no matter what she did to you an i figured you'd wanna know if she were in danger!" Sookie tried to justify herself.

Carla leaned one arm on the first place, looking down into the grate, it was going to be a shitty night, that's for sure.

"She's gonna let those fucking mongrel's brand her!" Alcide yelled, now incredibly angry. "V's the only reason, it's gotta be"

"Of course it is, maybe it's not too late for you to get through to her?" Sookie said, Carla kept out of it. "Stop her from ruining her life"

Alcide threw a punch at the wall, his anger slowly escalating. "Fuck!" He cursed.

"That mean you're coming with me?" Sookie asked Alcide, who was furious by this point. "I probably won't get in otherwise"

"Sookie, you really are a cold heartless bitch sometimes" Carla stood up straight, liking her lips.

"What?! It's the truth" Sookie retaliated.

"Fine!" Alcide replied. "We're all going to have to go in separate though, might be able to fool some with that get up" Alcide commented on their attire. "Their just gonna beat the shit out of me, again!"

"Alcide, i will not let that happen" Carla turned to the were, making eye contact.

Alcide didn't react, he just walked out of the room.

* * *

A few hours later, all three of them were inside Lou Pine's, searching for Debbie, and for clues to Bill's whereabouts.

Carla grabbed a vodka bottle and sat at the bar, taking sips whenever she started to nod off, which got more and more frequent as the night went on.

"What the fuck is this?!" A man's voice interrupted her drinking, and looked over at the scene she had missed between Sookie, Alcide, a man and a woman, the woman Carla assumed was Debbie.

"It's just a conversation Coot" Alcide assured him. Carla got up from her seat, abandoning her bottle, and standing a few steps away from the group, ready to jump in if she needed too.

"Well she's finished with you Herveaux, she went and found herself a real wolf" Coot mocked.

Carla stepped forward next to Alcide, looking at the two. "I know whatever wolf you think you are, in reality, you're just a V drinking addict who'll never be better than any half respecting were" Carla growled.

"Oh, who's this Herveaux? Another skank?" Coot asked.

"Skank or not i can still rip your ass out through your mouth" Carla growled, stepping forward to do so, but Alcide pulled her back.

"Come on then, let's fucking do this!" Coot yelled.

Alcide tensed, but Debbie interjected.

"Leave him alone Coot, let him stay"

"No way in hell" Coot ordered.

"He needs to see this, he ain't never gonna leave me be until he knows i'm with you for good" Debbie smiled, glancing at Alcide.

The two started kissing intimately, and Carla pulled Alcide away, he didn't have to see this.

"Okay!" Coot yelled, and the bar whipped into a frenzy of whooping and yelling.

Sookie joined the two of them, as Debbie was dragged towards a stage at the corner of the bar, he clothes being torn off down to her underwear as she was passed along by the crowd.

"Coot, he's one of the ones who took Bill" Sookie told Carla through gritted teeth.

As Debbie was lowered onto the stage, a man, a vampire, with a fur coat threw it over her.

"Who's that?" Sookie asked.

"Russel Edgington, he's a rich antiques dealer here" Alcide explained

"And a vampire" Carla muttered, with a nod from Alcide.

The whole crowd howled the cheered, but as the vampire came to the front of the stage, and he raised his hands, the music and the noise stopped completely and the crowd bowed down. The three of them did the same, making sure they were not noticed.

The vampire started to speak in german, and the crowd responded.

"What's he doing in a wolf den?" Carla asked.

"Why are they submitting to this fanger?" Alcide added.

The vampire bit into his arm, and filled multiple shot glasses with his blood.

"Oh my god, he supplies them" Sookie concluded.

"Holy shit" Alcide exclaimed.

"Not tonight pumpkin, otherwise your brand won't last" Russel said down at Debbie, retracting his fangs and patting his mouth with a handkerchief, he raised his hands again.

"To night, you continue the grand tradition of expanding our pack, my contribution is but a small token of gratitude for our collaboration throughout the ages" He continued, the crowd cheered in agreement and support.

"Ages?" Carla said to herself.

The vampire raised his hand and the pack raised their glasses.

"Drink!" He ordered, and they obeyed, growling and snarling at the feeling the V gave them.

The vampire hushed them again, "Now, i leave you among your own, to celebrate!" He grinned manically, before leaving. The roaring of the bar rose back up again, as the weres climbed up onto the stage, red hot brand in hand and ready to use it on Debbie.

The brand was held against her back for about five seconds, and she screamed out in pain.

"Debbie you dumb bitch!" Alcide cringed.

Carla caught movement out of the corner of her eye, and saw the face of the man she had seen, one of the pair from Merlotte's, they had followed her here to Jackson, and now they had seen her, Clive was heading towards her.

She turned and grabbed Sookie.

"We need to leave! Now!" Carla called, and Sookie tried to resist, but Carla's pull was simply too forceful for her to resist successfully.

Almost at the door and she felt a hand around her wrist, she turned to face the man, and kicked out at his ankle, breaking it. He yelped and fell to the ground.

Carla dragged Sookie back to Alcide's truck, and pulled it up outside the bar, where Alcide ran out and climbed in next to Sookie and Carla began to speed home.

"What happened back there? They were all shifting! You almost shifted!" Sookie yelled at Alcide over the revving of the engine as Carla pushed it to it's limits.

"Can't help it when that energy gets rolling you can't stop it" Alcide said by way of explanation. "You're lucky we got outta there alive!"

"Carla! Slow down! Who the fuck was that in the bar? Do you know him? The one who grabbed you?" Sookie yelled.

"No, i don't" Carla refused to slow down, continuing to speed.

"Carla! Stop! Now!" Carla pulled over into a lay by and let go of the steering wheel, taking a deep breath.

"Who the hell was that?" Sookie asked again.

"No-one you should concern yourself with" Carla said, slamming her hands on the steering wheel. "Fuck!" She screamed.

"Debbie wasn't always shitty" Alcide admitted. "We were great together, when she weren't drinking or cheating, she used to play horse shoes with my dad and help my mum plant tomatoes" Alcide frowned, obviously missing those days.

"But tonight she was half naked in a wolf skin getting branded..." Sookie said. "Tell me more about Russel Edgington" Sookie requested.

"He's just some rich vampire, that's all i knew till tonight" Alcide said.

"He's also a very old and very dangerous vampire, no doubt he holds a very powerful position in the vampire hierarchy, sheriff? No, king" Carla deduced out loud.

"I've gotta talk to him" Sookie said.

"Are you outta your fucking mind?!" Alcide asked.

"The brand, the blood, the vampire, he knows where Bill is, or he knows who knows" Sookie assured herself.

"I promised Eric i'd keep you out of trouble" Alcide argued.

"Fuck Eric" Carla said, earning her the gaze of the two in the car next to her.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Sookie asked.

"Russel Edgington probably has Bill, this is all connected, everything, Bill, Russel, the queen of Louisiana, maybe even Eric too, there is something that connects them, apart from them being vampires, something that they are trying to find out, or they know and are trying to accomplish, vampires never do anything without a strictly premeditated meaning, Tara was glamoured, though she is probably not harmed, there was nothing we could do for her last night, all we could hope is that the vampire saw he lost his chance and left, and he is either working for Eric, or Russel, we are not in the position to trust either of them" Carla explained.

"Then what do you suggest?" Alcide asked her.

"Give me time to think" Carla replied, starting up the van again and pulling out at a more reasonable pace back to the apartment.

* * *

Carla managed to sleep, despite the circumstances, and woke up with no one in the house, she got out of bed and found a note from Sookie, saying her and Alcide had left to see Alcide's pack master.

Carla sat at the kitchen table, staring at the wall, thinking through all she knew about Eric, he was selling vampire blood, for the queen, but Bill had discovered this from Lafayette, so he was a threat. So Eric probably had Bill, as he said, he would deal with him personally, his word for word promise to the queen.

So how were these weres and Russel Edgington involved? Was he someone high up in the vampire royalty? A king maybe? But then what did he stand to gain from taking Bill for Eric.

Unless he knew about the queen and Eric's deal, putting Sophie-Ann at a weakness.

The door bell rung, Carla glanced out of the window, it was late afternoon, so late that the sun was beginning to disappear below the horizon, who would be calling at Alcide's?

Carla got up and looked through the spy hole of the apartment.

Shit.

She stepped away from the door, trying to remain silent, but she collided with a pan that was on the hop, causing it to noisily clatter to the floor.

"The scent definitely ends here" A man's voice from outside said.

"Did you hear that? Someone must be home" Clive.

Carla ran back to the bedroom, where Sookie had a small hand gun on the bedside table.

She clutched at it.

That was when she heard the sound of the pick being inserted into the lock.

She headed to the window, and looked down. The face of Clive's brother, Rob looked up at her.

Crap, no escape that way.

Carla ran back to the door. Time to face the one man she never wanted to look at again. She pulled it wide open, their eyes met, and he took a step forward.

She lowered the gun and fired a single bullet into his foot.

"No fucking further" Carla growled.

Clive yelped in pain, and then put his foot down into the sun light that crept into apartment building, the wound healed.

"You can't kill me La" Clive told her, as if she didn't know, in the husky voice she used to love.

"I can wait until dark, then i can, i'm in no rush" Carla's intense stare never left the face of the brown haired man, his muscles not very large, but still noticeable.

"You were never able to overpower me, i should have taken advantage of that the day you left" Clive grumbled, his body covered by the same clothes she had seen him in at Merlotte's, his hair a mess and dark circles under his eyes.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" Carla demanded, not allowing her body to shake.

"Me and Rob have been tasked with bringing you back, after the other supes failed, and you disappeared, the elders thought it was time we sent some of our own" Clive explained.

"Why?" Carla blinked, blocking any emotion but hate and contempt.

"Because the other's failed?"

"No, this is because they think i will see some sort of duty to come back, in you, some sort of promise i must repay, well no, i will not hesitate to kill you, and your brother"

"You cannot over power me" Clive corrected.

"Oh i can tear you apart, trust me" Carla growled.

A tear escaped Carla's eye and ran down her cheek.

Clive frowned, he leaned forward and wiped it away, touching her skin.

"Don't touch me" Carla whispered dangerously.

"How did we get to this?" Clive asked, as if he didn't know.

"You stood there, while Eric burned, i was shackled down because they knew i would fight, but you, you could have saved him, you're own child, and you stood there and watched him die, watched him scream" Carla lost control, tears were streaming down her face, but Clive had withdrawn his hand, looking very guilty.

"I'm so sorry, i never meant-"

"No, you can never repent for this, there is no going back, i have no more love for you, and if you don't leave, i will kill you" Carla threatened through gritted teeth.

"Carla, please, you can learn to love-"

"No, i will never listen to them again, let them send more, all will fall before my wrath, my pure unbridled fury" Carla never lowered the gun, and prevented him from entering.

"La, please" Clive looked desperate, even repentant.

"You don't even get to call me that anymore" Carla snarled, shaking her head. The sun only remained as a slither on the horizon.

"Looks like your time's running out" Carla said.

"Maybe it's time" Clive shrugged, smiling.

Sookie and Alcide came jogging up the stair well, followed by Rob, who was holding the weres shoulder.

"Stop this and come with us, you know you can't run forever" Rob growled, his skinny body more dangerous than Clive, considering his specialization.

"Carla, who the fuck are these guys?" Alcide asked, irritated.

"Don't fight Alcide, just don't fight" Carla reassured.

"We've played you into a corner, now come with us and i will spare your friends" Rob yelled over the were's sholder.

"You've gotta be joking, you're as skinny as a sheet of paper, you haven't got a chance" Sookie chipped in.

"Sookie, trust me, he's more dangerous than he looks" Carla corrected.

"You're joking?" Alcide asked.

"No, she most definitely is not" Rob said to the were.

Carla took her chance, and swung the gun to Rob's face, as the sun finally disappeared, it skimmed the side of his head, but he managed to avoid the fatal shot.

She bashed her arm into Clive's throat, and propelled her foot into his stomach, making him fall to the ground.

When she looked up Alcide flew down the corridor, causing a sizable dent in the wall at the end of the hall. Rob was then threatening Sookie with a ball of writhing green energy.

"One more move and this one dies" Rob threatened.

Out of no-where Rob was thrown to the ground by Bill, who then turned to Sookie.

"You need to go! Now! It's not safe! It's to late for me!" Bill started babbling.

Clive was beginning to stand up, so Carla placed her foot on the man's chest, preventing him from standing up.

"You appear out of no where and that's all you have to say to me? What am i running from?!" Sookie yelled at Bill.

"There's no time! Quickly-"

There was a bang from downstairs in the apartment building, on the ground floor.

Carla left the man and grabbed Alcide and Sookie, pulling them into the house.

"They can't get in if they're not invited!" Carla yelled, referring to the imminent vampire attack.

"No!" Bill shouted, as he was grabbed and restrained by some of the vampires that were now at the top of the stairs.

Coot ran into the apartment after them.

"Come on in!" He yelled, and the vampires flooded in, Carla smashed a wooden dining chair and managed to stake some of the invading vampires, before Russel pinned her against the wall.

"I think that's enough from you, missy" The vampire grinned. "Get the Stackhouse girl" He ordered the werewolf.

"I'm coming to getcha!" the were teased Sookie, as he cornered her, Alcide was knocked out, supposedly from a punch from Coot.

"Maybe not!" Sookie raised her hand and light shone from it, throwing Coot back across the room, and knocking him out.

Russel laughed out loud.

"Fantastic!" He yelled, exceptionally pleased with Sookie's now exposed powers.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed! Thanks for spending your time to read my fanfic, i hope to see you back in the next chapter for an update!**

**Amelia, that may be in the works, or something of the sort, but not in this season per say, i'm still debating, but thanks for telling me what you thought! :)**

**-Shad out**


	23. Mississippi

**Welcome back! hope you enjoy :)X**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter twenty-three - Mississippi

* * *

Shortly after the so called raid, Sookie and Carla, along with Clive and Bill were dragged into a grand white mansion, vampires in black attire like undead bouncers were everywhere.

Carla was dropped onto the white floor, and a body guard stood behind her, in case she protested in some way.

Eric, who Carla was no surprised to see, walked out of one of the rooms adjoining the hall way, Clive was thrown down onto his knees beside her, his nose and knuckles were bloodied, he stretched his neck back, looking up at the ceiling, and then around the room.

Sookie was thrown to one of the more extravagantly dressed vampires, as Lorena slowly descended the stairs to watch the situation.

Bill was thrown to the ground at the bottom of the stairs.

"Well, guess who was completely unworthy of our trust?" Russel said to the vampire holding Sookie, his fangs extended.

"No?" The vampire replied, faking surprise.

"Why? What's happened?" Lorena asked, looking worried.

"He was keeping something very interesting from us all" Russel said, looking at Sookie.

Carla noticed Eric's eyes on her, shifting between her and Clive, trying to silently understand the situation.

Bill yanked a shard of wood from the banister he was thrown near, and jabbed it through a vampire bouncer.

Carla took her chance, and did the same, beheading the bouncer near her, and then turning on Russel.

Before she could act, she was pinned against the wall, her hand that was holding the banister was held at the wrist, preventing her from acting, and a hand held her gently round the throat. Clive tried to stand up, but he was held in place by a vampire bouncer.

"Stop" Eric's husky voice growled at her.

She could see into his head this close, she felt his overwhelming jealousy.

Bill had been thrown into the ceiling above the stairs and he laid sprawled out on the marble steps, the banister still in hand.

Russel laughed at them both.

"Are you serious? I am almost three thousand years old!" He mocked the two of them.

Carla dropped her weapon, her eyes locked on Eric's.

The vampire that was holding Sookie let her go to place his hand on his head, upset over the damage to the house, it seemed.

Sookie ran to Bill, but Eric moved in her way, leading her back down the steps to Russel.

"Eric! Get her outta here! Please!" Bill shouted over Russel's maniacal laugh.

"Eric! What are you doing?" Sookie shouted, struggling against the vampire.

"I wouldn't let go of this if i were you, i don't know what it is, but it's quite valuable" Eric said, standing next to Russel, who grinned up at him.

Sookie and Bill looked shocked. Carla not at all.

She ran across the room and kicked Eric in the chest, making him flop on the ground, she was surprised at even herself, being stronger than Eric, it must have been Godric's essence, the essence he had given her in death.

Russel grabbed her by the arms, restraining her, Eric used his vamp speed to get up quickly, his fangs extended, and his ribs slowly healing to correct his concave chest.

He hissed at her.

"Missy, you really are a live wire, in normal circumstances i would admire that, but please stop trying to kill my guests, before i kill you" Russel threatened in a playful tone.

"Fuck you Northman!" Was simply all she said, Eric smiled, but this was a forced smile, unlike him, he was under Russel's thumb too, he had become a puppet to the puppet master of Mississippi.

"I've not had the pleasure of tasting it, but all my instincts say it would be quite extraordinary" Eric told the king, refering to Sookie.

"I will never, ever, forgive you for this" Sookie tried to sound threatening, Russel didn't let Carla go.

"Oh, it thinks we're equals" Eric teased, glancing at Russel.

"Oh but it's wrong, isn't it?" Russel's grip was to strong for Carla to resist.

"Indeed" Eric agreed, the two chuckled.

"Do you care nothing about our home?!" The vampire that was holding Sookie previously asked Russel.

"Talbot, not now!" Russel grumbled, shaking his head.

"WHEN?!" Talbot demanded, storming off up the stairs, muttering in another language.

"What are you going to do with our Mr Compton?" Lorena asked. "If i may ask?"

"Marco, Klaus, take Compton to the slave quarters" Russel ordered, handing Carla to Eric to hold.

"There my dear, you will kill him" Russel informed Lorena.

"But-" Lorena began.

"DO NOT DEFY ME!" Russel turned around and threatened her. "I AM YOUR KING!"

Lorena nodded sadly. "Your majesty" She agreed.

"Take Ms Stackhouse and this other two into the library Eric, i want to ask them a few questions after i repair the state of my marriage" Russel began walking up the stairs, following Talbot.

"Bill, i will get you out of here!" Sookie promised.

"Eric! Save her i beg you! Carla! Please!" Bill begged, as he was dragged out.

"If you kill him! I will kill you" Sookie warned Lorena, she drew her fangs and approached the woman.

"Oh please, please try!" She growled. "Without that sanctimonious little prick Godric to save you, i would just love to rip you open and wear your rib cage, as a hat!" Lorena threatened.

Eric and Carla growled at her in unison after her insult towards Godric.

Lorena then walked out of the mansion, following the men holding Bill.

"Please tell me that was just an act" Carla said to Eric, who let her go.

"I don't think anyone plays the king of Mississippi and get away with it" Eric said, looking down at Carla. "I certainly have no intentions of trying"

Eric grabbed Carla by the shoulder, and pulled Clive up onto his feet.

"This way" He ordered. Walking the three of them towards the library.

"What are you even doing here? Is this about Bill knowing about your whole V arrangement?" Carla asked, Clive gave her a strange glance.

"No, i need to think, don't take this the wrong way, but shut up" Eric grumbled.

"Eric, please-" Sookie started, but Eric covered her mouth.

"Thank you" He sat them all down on the same couch in the library.

"So all that stuff about caring about me? Was that all just crap?" Carla asked out right, as Eric paced up and down the room, Clive glanced confused at her again.

"I never said that exactly" Eric corrected. "Besides, it looks like you've found a face from the past" He indicated Clive. "And who is this?" He asked.

"Clive" Clive growled. "and who the fuck are you, apart from a dead man?" He asked.

"Is this the father?" Eric asked Carla. She was hesitant, then she nodded.

"How weak you must be, can't even protect your own child, your own partner" Eric tutted.

"What would you know about it?" Clive stood up from the seat, stiffening his shoulders, ready for confrontation.

"Oh, a lot, including her bedroom skills, they are quite exquisite" Eric's signature smirk filled his face.

Clive fumed.

"You gave yourself to this dead cunt?" Clive glanced behind at Carla, who had her hand on her fore head.

"Yes Clive, you don't have any control over me, but i'm starting to realize that was also a mistake" Carla admitted.

"Well look at that, you're just another in a long line of mistakes and regrets" Clive had turned back to Eric, he was shorter than the man, but had a similar physic.

Eric growled, producing his fangs.

Clive chuckled.

"Split it up" Carla ordered, the two didn't move until Russel came walking into the room, Eric turned and smiled at the vampire.

"Sorry to have kept you waiting, a husbands work is never done" Russel admitted.

Clive fell back onto the couch next to Carla.

"Leave us" Russel ordered Eric, and he did so without hesitation.

"Now, tell me what you are" Russel started with Sookie.

"I'm a waitress" she said.

"Yes, and i am Marie of Romania, i'm a very patient man, Mrs Stackhouse, one can afford to be when one is immortal, but my patience is not without limits" He informed them.

"We don't know what she is, neither does she, she's been like it since she was a child" Carla explained.

"I was not asking you" Russel growled. "Little live wire, you're after, wait your turn" He ordered.

"She's right, i don't know what i am" Sookie admitted.

"You're definitely not human" Russel told her.

"My parents were human" Sookie said.

"How do you know that? Better how do you know that they were your parents?" Russel asked.

"My Grandfather was like me"

"Which is?" Russel asked.

"I can hear peoples thoughts, and shifters, werewolves, not vampires" Sookie explained. Russel grinned.

"How dreadful that must be?" He said.

"Oh you have no idea"

"I mean who cares what anyone else is thinking"

"Is Lorena going to kill Bill?" Sookie asked him.

"If she knows what's good for her, but she'll take her time, he's been her drug of choice for centuries now, it's going to be hard for her to let go" Russel replied.

"Please, you can stop her!" Sookie teared up a little.

"Why would you want to? Are you aware that Bill has been keeping a secret file on you?" Russel got up and got a file from his desk, handing it to Sookie.

Sookie took it and looked through the documents, Carla glanced over to look, there were pictures of her, Sam, the people at Merlotte's even Carla along with Sookie's family tree, with her name, and her grandfather's name circled.

"What are you besides a Telopath? What makes that light come out of your hands?" Russel asked.

Sookie shook her head, she didn't know.

"Oh don't make me force it out of you" Russel threatened.

"I don't know!" Sookie exclaimed, frightened. "I never even know i could do it until recently, and i don't know what i am, maybe i'm an alien? All i know is it's something big, so i wouldn't hurt me or anyone i care about" She shrugged, trying to protect them.

"Any other powers?" Russel asked.

"Once a threw a chain at someone, and it wrapped around his neck like that crab from alien, but that's all" Sookie admitted.

Russel chuckled. "Well, not wonder the queen is so fascinated by you"

Russel called two of his henchmen in.

"Take the Stackhouse girl and the man to Bill's room and lock them in, i will talk to this girl now" Russel said.

Carla sat up, spreading her arms along the couch.

Once they were alone Russel grinned.

"Tell me about Sookie" He said.

"I don't know much about her, he's just a girl, she can read peoples thoughts, some peoples anyway, i met her a couple of months ago, we are both waitresses at a bar" Carla outlined, remaining relaxed around this mostly insane and unstable vampire.

"And what are you?" Russel asked, knitting his hands together and resting his chin on them.

"What do you mean? What am i?" Carla asked. "I'm human"

Russel chuckled.

"Of course, with that sort of speed and power, you're not human" Russel informed her.

"I've had a lot of vampire blood" Carla shrugged.

Russel laughed.

"Don't test me girl" He warned. "I'll kill your precious partner"

"Hardly precious, go ahead, save me a job" Carla smiled.

Russel was starting to become agitated, he called in a vampire guard.

"Get the man back, i wish to talk to him, make her presentable for Eric, i am sure he's hungry" Russel grinned, Carla maintained a neutral face.

The man dragged her away, he stripped her off and tied her wrists, before bringing her into Eric's room, he was up from the bed within seconds.

"Russel sends this one a your meal for the night" The guard said, Eric looked Carla up and down, producing a smile.

"If he insists, thank you" the guard left.

"You're not serious?" Carla asked.

"If he sees you without a bite wound, he is going to ask questions about my loyalty" Eric explained.

Carla sighed. "So this is an act" She confirmed.

Carla had been taken down to her white underwear, most of her flesh exposed.

"This face isn't though" Eric admitted, with a grin.

Carla rolled her eyes.

"We both know, specially you, that there is nothing between us, mostly because of shit on your end, please just get this over with"

Carla tilted her head to the side, allowing him access to her jugular.

He leaned down and laid his hand on her shoulder, his other hand on her cheek, she relaxed in his grip, letting her manipulate her body.

She leaned forward against him, he supported her with his body, laying kisses from her shoulder up to her pulsing throat.

He produced his fangs and bit her as gently as he could. She prevented herself from gasping, as it brought back memories of the night in Dallas and the things they shared.

He threaded his arm under hers, laying it spread on her back, holding her close to him.

Blood slipped down both sides of her shoulder as he drank from her.

Without warning he pulled away, withdrawing his fangs at the same time.

He licked the fluid from his lips, still slightly stooped over her.

Carla placed her hands on the vampire's shoulders, making him look at her.

She reached up and ran her thumb along his jaw line, he kept glancing at her lips.

Fuck it.

Carla pulled him into a powerful kiss, nipping his bottom lip with her teeth gently, he let out a low husky growl of pleasure.

Eric pressed her back against the door, running his hands down from her shoulders, over her arms, and then breasts, hips, hanging there at her waist. Not sure whether go further.

Carla pushed the vampire back towards the large double bed that occupied the center of the room, pushing him onto it, and the climbing on top of him, straddling his lap.

The two continued to kiss until a knock sounded at the door.

"Mr Northman, Russel requests your presence before dawn" A voice informed them.

Carla released the vampire, kneeling on the bed as he got up and headed towards the door, glancing back at her before he left, with a large grin on his face.

Carla started to regret what she just did already.

* * *

Carla heard an incredible ruckus outside her door, she didn't know how long it had been, but Eric had not returned yet.

She went for the door, and across the hall the doors of the room where open, thankfully her door was not locked.

Sookie and Tara were standing over a man, probably a werewolf, holding heavy instruments in their hands which they had apparently bludgeoned him with, there was no sign of Clive.

"What the hell is going on?" Carla asked, walking out of the room.

Tara grabbed her by the arm, and Sookie too.

"We need to get out of here, now, while we have a chance!" Tara pulled her down the corridor, apparently not noticing that Carla was barely dressed.

They hurried down the stairs towards the front door.

"He has werewolves patroling the ground by day, but if we can get to one of his cars and hot wire it, we might be able to-"

"What about Bill? He's in the slave quarters" Sookie butted in.

"What? He was covered in blood! He was gonna kill me! I'm not risking my life to save his dead ass and neither should you!" Tara complained.

Carla sighed.

"He may not be dead yet and they forced him to do all that stuff!" Sookie argued.

"Listen, we need to be quick, i will go with Sookie to get Bill, when you get a car come to get us from that small house at the end of the garden, that's the slave quarters" Carla cut in, heading to the door, ignoring the fact she was half naked.

Her and Sookie edged their way down the tree line towards the hut.

Laughing and talking came from inside, and quickly spilled out into the outside.

Debbie and Coot ran out of the house, their mouths covered in blood, Bill's, Carla guessed.

Carla turned to Sookie and put her finger over her lips, telling her to be quiet.

"This is fucking intense!" Debbie giggled.

"This is how it's always going to be with me baby!" Coot told her.

They started kissing, Debbie jumping on Coot, wrapping he legs around him.

"You taste like fucking life itself" Debbie moaned.

"I will do, anything for you!" Coot told her.

"You'll take me to forever young and buy me whatever i want?" Debbie asked.

"Even better, i'll steal it for you!" He laughed.

"You fucking lunatic!" She gasped for air.

"I love you you hot bitch!" They kissed again. "Hotter than hell, hottest bitch it town and i fucking own you!"

They ran off towards the trees.

"Come on" Carla said once they had disappeared.

"Trash" Sookie commented on the weres.

Sookie ran inside the house and found Bill chained to the ground, covered in blood, Lorena no where to be found.

Carla was more cautious than Sookie, who ran straight over to him yelling his name to try and wake him.

Carla felt the presence behind her first, Lorena was still here, lurking somewhere in the darkness.

She ran over to Sookie.

"I love you, Bill Compton i am not about to let you go!" she told Bill.

"Well isn't that heart warming" Lorena's voice caused silence to fall in the room, Carla raised her eyes to the vampire.

She grabbed Sookie and flung her against the wall, she fell to her knees.

Carla turned around and kicked out at the vampire, she fell to the floor over Bill.

Bill clutched her around the throat with the silver chains he was restrained with, holding her still.

"Quickly!" He managed "Stake her!" He ordered.

Sookie was already on it, bringing a wooden stick with a sharp end over to them.

"Do it!"Bill said, holding the vampire still on him.

Sookie looked unsure.

"William, i love you" Lorena said, spreading her arms wide.

"You wouldn't know love if it kicked you in the fangs!" Sookie shouted at the vampire, staking her.

Blood poured everywhere and Bill fell still, drained of energy, but not dead.

Carla crouched down next to the vampire and shook him.

"Bill?!" Sookie and Carla said at the same time.

Carla heard the revving of a car outside, and assumed Tara had been successful.

"Quick, we need to cover him if we are going to get him to the car, find the key to the manacles, she must have had them" Carla picked up the large sheet of canvas Bill had been lying on and moved it closer to where he had held Lorena still.

Sookie tried to look for the keys, moving lumps of vampire out of the way.

Tara and Alcide came running in, looking down at the two women.

"Is he dead?" Tara asked straight away.

"No, but he's going to be soon if we don't hurry" Carla said, dragging his body onto the canvas, ready to wrap him in it.

"Are you sure? Because he looks dead" Tara said.

"He is not dead! When vampires are dead, this is what they look like!" Sookie yelled, indicating the lumps of what was left of Lorena.

"Jesus Christ!" Tara was shaking all over.

"Ladies we have got to get out of here, there are wolves crawling all over this place" Alcide informed them, looking very tense.

"I know" Sookie said, going to Bill's feet end, ready to lift him while he was inside the canvas roll.

"It's only a matter of time before-"

"She said, i know" Carla interrupted Alcide.

"Help me carry him!" Carla added.

"We don't have time for this" Tara grumbled.

"I am not leaving here without him" Sookie croaked out.

The door opened again, and Debbie strolled in, gun in hand.

"Oh? Vampire borreto? For me? You shouldn't have" she joked, raising the gun.

The four of them stood up, taking a step back from Bill and from Debbie.

"Debbie, just let the others go, you've got nothing to say to them, you and me we can talk" Alcide tried to negotiate.

"Fuck you! I'm the one with the gun ain't no one going no where!" Debbie swung the gun around dangerously, aiming it at all of them.

"Sweetheart-"

"I ain't your sweetheart no more, now give me a minute to think!" Debbie was panting heavily, she was nervous.

"Don't even think about it bitch!" Sookie spoke up.

"Well you sure chose a bad time to call me bitch, bitch!" Debbie threw back, aiming the gun at her.

"Sookie, don't do that" Tara told her.

"Sookie I've got this!" Alcide interrupted.

"You ain't got shit!" Debbie turned the gun back onto Alcide.

"Yes i have! There ain't no way you're pulling that trigger!" Alcide shouted back.

Carla took her chance while Debbie was fixated on Alcide, she ran at her, with a swift movement the blonde turned and fired, hitting Carla right in the chest.

Carla fell to her knees.

Alcide took advantage and grabbed the gun from Debbie, turning the tables.

Carla collapsed onto her back, blood rushing from her body.

Sookie ran to her side, grabbing her hand. "Carla!"

"Sun..." Carla managed, her eyes drooping shut.

"We need her out in the sun! NOW!" Sookie shouted, Tara grabbed her ankles, with Sookie behind her shoulders, they dropped Carla out in the strong midday sun.

The hole in her chest began to pull itself back together, pushing the bullet out of her chest, it tumbled off her chest and onto the grass.

Carla was shocked back to life, her body spasming as her heart jolted back into rhythm, and her organs regained function.

She sat up straight, renewed.

"Thank you" she gasped, finding her voice again, she stood up straight again. "Can you get Bill?" She said calmly, getting back up to open the back of Alcide's truck ready to put Bill in it.

Carla went to cab, when she saw the flash of someone running into the house.

"What the hell is going on in here?!" She heard Coot's voice yelling.

Alcide didn't hesitate, he raised the gun and shot the man in the chest, he fell to his knees. Alcide shot him again, this time in the head. Debbie screamed and wailed. Carla heard it from outside, and walking inside the door, but not too close.

"Oh my god! Oh my fucking god!" Debbie fell down next to the body of the man, sobbing.

"I'm sorry Debbie, he didn't leave me any choice" Alcide admitted.

"You had a choice! And you picked a fucking fang banger over one of your own!" Debbie's anger started to set in, she stood up, pointing an accusing finger at Sookie.

"Go on! Get him in the van" Alcide said, aiming the gun at Debbie's head. "I'll be right out"

The two women picked the vampire up, rolled in the tarp and protected from the day light, they carried him outside and put him in the back of Alcide's van.

"I'm riding in the back with Bill! Close the door" Sookie told them.

"Sook, he ain't gonna make it, don't do this to yourself" Tara begged.

Carla closed the door.

A howl sounded over the estate, and the padding of were feet getting closer became louder.

"We need to go" Carla said. Alcide ran round to the drivers side, and Carla and Tara to the other side, Alcide got the van started.

At least six weres appeared from the trees surrounding the mansions gardens, and followed the slower than required van.

Tara stared at the wind mirror, across Carla's lap, as she was closest to the door.

"We need to go faster!" She informed them.

The van wouldn't go any faster.

Carla opened the door, unbuckling her seat belt.

"Keep driving, i'll catch up, make a stop so i can get in when you're on the parish road" Carla told Alcide, who nodded in agreement.

She dropped out of the van, morphing in mid air, she took one wolf out immediately, by being straight in his path, with a mouth of sharp teeth.

She jumped from one dead wolf onto the on coming ones, knocking them out of the way with the weight of her body, and catching some in her dangerous jaws.

Once most of the wolves lay dead, and the rest of them were fleeing, she took off in the direction of the smell of gasoline, following it until she caught up with the van on the parish road.

Alcide pulled the van over and got out, along with Tara, Carla morphed back, she knocked on the back of the truck to see if Sookie was okay.

No answer.

Carla tapped again.

Still no answer.

Carla and Tara banged their fists against the back of the truck.

Yet again no answer.

Tara reached for the lock, Carla didn't protest.

"Hey! The sun!" Alcide tried to say.

"Do you think i care?" Tara asked, raising the back of the van so they could see inside.

"Sookie?!" Tara shouted.

Sookie was laid out on the floor of the truck, Bill next to her, she had two bites on either side of her neck, and a cut on her arm, blood all over her, unresponsive to them, completely out of it.

Bill stood up inside the truck at the introduction of the sun light, he saw Sookie.

"What happened?!" He seemed shocked.

Carla grabbed Bill by the shoulder, pulling him out of the back of the truck, and onto the dirt.

"We need to get her to a hospital!" Alcide said, heading back round the the drivers seat to get moving.

"Stay in the back with Sookie!" Carla ordered Tara. She took one more look at Bill, left out in the sun, he wasn't burning, but she was sure he would soon.

"Never come back" She told Bill. She ran to the passenger seat, as Alcide sped along the road to the nearest hospital.

* * *

**Thanks for reading and thanks for all your supportive words in the form of reviews, as well as favourites and follows, as well as just views!**

**Please tell me what you thought about this chapter, until next time,**

**-Shad out ;)**


	24. Backtracking

**Welcome back to another chapter, thanks for coming back, hope you enjoy this one! :)**

* * *

**Encroaching Darkness, Fading Light**

* * *

Chapter twenty-four - Backtracking

* * *

Upon arrival Sookie was crowded by doctors and nurses, covering her wounds and rushing to treat her.

Alcide, Carla and Tara were told to sit in the waiting area, and the doctor would inform them of any news when they knew it.

Alcide had given Carla some clothes from he truck, a pair of shorts that looked more like bagged three quarter lengths on her, and a baggy shirt.

Carla and Alcide were sat in the soft hospital chairs, as if already trying to comfort them and cushion the impact of what might happen to Sookie. Tara however was pacing back and forth, trying to hold back tears.

"Miss Thornton?" A doctor came over to Tara, the three of them got up, gathering round the doctor to hear what she had to say about Sookie.

"How is she?" Tara asked.

"She's lost a lot of blood"

"How much blood?" Tara said.

"A lot"

"Oh my god" Tara started playing with her fingers, stressed out.

"Well what about a transfusion?" Alcide asked.

"We tried, her body rejected it" The doctor told them.

"Well, maybe you gave her the wrong type of blood?" Tara asked. "You checked it first right i mean you better not have taken a fucking guess?!" Tara's lip quivering, her eyes as round as saucers.

"Your friend doesn't have a blood type" the doctor told them.

"What?" Tara asked.

"Everybody has a blood type?" Alcide was confused.

"Exactly" the doctor nodded. "But for whatever reason we couldn't establish hers"

"Shit" Carla muttered, rubbing her face with her hands.

"We are running out of time, so i have put in an order for O negative, O neg is universal donor, but your friend, i have never seen a reaction like that before" The doctor was dumb founded.

Tara began to sob.

"You can come and see her, we have put her on a ward waiting for the delivery, though O neg is very rare, it may not be here in time" The doctor admitted, leading them to where Sookie was laying in a bed.

"I'm sorry, i'm afraid you will have to notify the family" The doctor said, before walking away to leave them with Sookie. She was intubated and had IV fluids, as well as being patched up where she had been bitten and cut.

Carla waited for the doctors to disappear and for Tara to go and call Jason, she pulled the curtain across the cubicle.

"Alcide, do you have a knife?" She asked.

"What for?" Alcide looked very confused.

"I can save her, but the doctors can't know about it, okay?"

Alcide took a moment to think about it, and then he nodded in agreement. "Do it" He said, handing her a pocket knife.

"Thank you" Carla said, popping out the knife and cutting across the middle of her arm, exposing a vein.

She made sure she was not in the sun, and pulled the connector between Sookie's IV line and the fluids out, inserting it into her vein. The blood flowed along it and into Sookie, she didn't react, which was a good sign.

Now they could only wait.

* * *

Well into the afternoon, Sookie opened her eyes, looking around the room.

Tara had fallen asleep in a sofa next to the window, with Alcide next to her.

Jason and Lafayette were still driving to the hospital from Bon Temps.

Sookie and Carla were alone.

Sookie sat up straight and Carla pulled the connector out of her vein, putting her arm under the sunlight to let it heal.

She used the stopper on Sookie's IV to stop the flow into her.

"Are you okay? How do you feel?" Carla asked Sookie, she was very tense and nervous.

"Umm... i'm okay, i just need some time of quiet, do... do you know where Bill is?" She asked Carla.

"I pushed him out into the sun, so he may be dead by now, i don't know for sure though" Carla explained, lowering her arm and leaning on the side of the hospital bed.

"Okay" Sookie said, rubbing her arms to try and comfort herself.

"Do you need anything?" Carla asked her.

"No, honestly, i am just fine" Sookie assured her.

"Listen Sookie, i need to go back" Carla started slowly, trying to be gentle.

"Back? Where?"

"Back to Russel, i need to find Clive, if he still has him he could be spouting anything about me, what i can do, i can't have that, plus Eric..."

"Don't say Eric, i thought you two were done" Sookie whimpered, still sensitive.

"Nothing with Eric is ever done, you should know that more than anyone, he's just as much a prisoner as we were" Carla argued, though not raising her voice at the blonde.

"Well i can't stop you, can i?" Sookie asked.

"No, no you can't, i am very sorry Sookie" Carla apologized.

"It's not your fault, like you said, our heads don't choose, our hearts do" She smiled.

"Stay safe and get some rest Sookie" Carla said.

Carla walked over to wake up Tara. She shook her once and she shot awake.

"Sookie's awake" Carla started.

Tara lunged to move, but Carla held her in place.

"I am leaving, so i need you to promise me you will keep her safe, do not let Russel get her back, can you promise me?" Carla asked.

"Bitch? Where the fuck you goin'?" Carla didn't reply, but Tara must have read the look on her face. "Oh hell no, you are not going back there? Is you crazy?"

"Promise me" Carla repeated.

The woman shrugged, knowing she couldn't change her mind now.

"Fine" Tara agreed.

Carla got up and went back to Sookie's side, kissing her on the forehead.

"Be safe" She said, smiling at the blonde.

Sookie simply nodded as Tara got up to say hello.

Carla walked out of the hospital, and when she was out of sight, she morphed, heading in the direction of the vampire mansion. Not sure if her decision was the best one.

* * *

Upon her arrival, she noticed it was mighty quiet, she had managed to get into the view of the mansion without being spotted by any wolves or vampires, since the sun had set on her way there, Carla decided simply to approach the mansion in her human form, of course, and use the excuse that she came back to silence her compatriot.

As soon as she stepped out of the bushes, she was almost immediately noticed and incarcerated by three vampire guards.

She managed to get a punch off into one of them, sending him flying back, but two more came in his place, restraining her.

She didn't know how old they were, but four vampires holding her still she simply couldn't fight.

She was dragged up the gardens and through the front door.

"Sir, we found this one in the gardens, approaching the house" One of the vampires explained to Russel, who was standing by the stairs with Talbot.

"Mrs Carla Thompson, how good to see you, i feared you had left us" Russel turned to Carla, who's eyes widened considerably.

"How-"

"Well you're husband has told me a very colorful story about you and himself" Russel explained.

"Sorry to interrupt" Eric said, walking in from another room. "There's a were bitch in your study" Eric glanced at Carla, a worried look in his eye.

"Go, while i babysit your wife" Talbot said, straightening his shirt, and walking upstairs with many muttered words.

"Eric, would you please restrain this one and come with me into the study" Russel said, walking past Eric into the study.

"Of course your majesty" Eric grabbed Carla, pulling her arms back so she couldn't move them, walking into the study with her.

"What's up pumpkin?" Russel asked the were, which turned out to be Debbie.

"They killed my Cooter!" Debbie winged.

"Aww, he died a hero" Russel walked behind his desk.

"He weren't no hero, he just wanted to do some V and have a little fun, and they shot him in the heart!" Debbie winged, she turned and saw Carla in Eric's restraint.

"She was with them! I shot her in the chest! How the fuck are you still alive, bitch?" Debbie looked her up and down as if she might actually be there.

"Well, magic" Carla said sarcastically.

Debbie stepped forward and punched Carla in the face, on her cheek, to be exact, her cheek impacted into the serrated portion of her teeth, and began to bleed. She spat out the blood onto the carpet.

Carla pulled against Eric, but he held her firm.

"Let me go, i will fucking rip you apart!" Carla yelled at Debbie.

"Let me rip this bitches head off, and then i'll go after the rest of them!" Debbie begged Russel. He chuckled.

"I like your energy, what do you think Northman?" Russel asked.

"He thinks you should let me go so i can paint the walls in here a new shade of deep crimson, free of charge" Carla tried to pull away from Eric again, but he refused to let her go.

"I enjoy a good head ripping as much as the next vampire, but in this case it may be wise to consider the value of the heads in question" Eric said.

"You mean the Stackhouse girl? Yeah, she's something special, isn't she?" Russel considered.

"She fucked my boyfriend and made him shoot my fiancee, she's a cunt!" Debbie interjected.

"But she's a special cunt" Russel corrected. "And of course our special death cheater here too" Russel indicated Carla. "Oh don't you worry darling, i'll let you play with her first" Russel told Debbie, before waving her out.

"Respectfully sir, considering the recent turn of events, bringing Sookie into this may not be the best idea" Eric stepped forward with Carla, holding her still after Debbie had left the room.

"That's exactly why i need her, i may have inadvertently started a war tonight, Ms Stackhouse could be my secret weapon, along with this one, they seem to make a deadly team" Russel countered.

"Sookie's abilities are unpredictable at best, and like most humans she is ruled by petty emotions, i would not trust her" Eric replied.

Russel used his vampire speed to get up from his seat and push Carla from Eric's arms onto the ground, and stand in front of Eric.

"Hmm, the real question is, can i trust you?" Russel said, looking the vampire up and down. "You turned on your queen, and now that I've freed your feisty little ward how do i know you won't sell me out too?"

Eric became completely serious, he met the vampire kings gaze.

"Because I've been searching for you for a thousand years" Eric started, his gaze not faltering. "A true leader, one strong enough to unite us all, i believed my maker, Godric was such a vampire, but he was weak, he succumbed to his humanity and it killed him, dispatching the Magister tonight proved that my search, its is finally over" Eric explained, Carla was concentrating on trying to read his mind, see inside his head, what was he scheming, why was he doing this, but it was fuzzy and blurred.

"That was rash and foolish" Russel said.

"It was brave and uncompromising" Eric corrected. Russel smiled.

"Vampires had yearned for somebody to stand up to the tyranny of the authority for centuries" Eric reached down and picked the king's hand up from where it was hanging at his side, kissing his ring. "Just five me the chance, and i will show you just how deep my loyalty runs" Eric looked back up at the King, who was convinced.

The king nodded. "A meal in celebration of our allegiance?" He glanced down at Carla, indicating who was the meal.

"I would be honored" Eric answered.

Carla scrambled backwards, trying to get up, but Russel grabbed her by the ankle and pulled her towards the vampires.

Eric was less forward, he produced his fangs and grabbed her round the neck, tilting it to the side and biting into her, less painful than Russel, who went for the vein between her legs, tearing at her flesh, forcing the blood from her.

She forced herself to bit her lip so she didn't scream, not giving Russel mostly, the satisfaction.

Carla blacked out, her eyes refusing to remain open, her muscles feeling as though a heavy weight was being pushed down on them.

* * *

Carla was woken by the pressure on her mouth and the liquid flowing down her throat, energizing her body, making her strong and aroused.

She opened her eyes to see Eric's short, soft hair next to her face, and his neck at her lips.

He was holding her in his arms, and he had the bleeds, it must have been past morning.

Eric pulled Carla away, as he could see she couldn't stop herself on her own.

Carla took a deep breath, regaining control of herself.

"Thank you" She said, sitting up in Eric's lap, licking his blood off her lips.

"Why did you come back?" Eric asked, his fangs poking out behind his lips.

"Because..." Carla sighed, and stood up, realizing her lack of clothes, she had a partially see through overcoat on, made of silk, with silky underwear on.

"Because?" Eric encouraged.

"Because no matter how much i tell myself that you'll never change, i cannot stop myself from loving you" Carla sighed, her muscles relaxing. Carla looked down at her body, admiring her attire, though she would have liked to be more clothed.

"Russel insisted, their from Sophie-Ann's female companion" Eric explained, not knowing what else to say.

"Did he insist you feed me your blood as well" Carla asked, turning to Eric.

"First he said he would, but i managed to persuade him" Eric admitted.

Carla turned back to the vampire, he was sat on his bed with a thin cloth dressing gown on.

"You should get some sleep" Carla said, seeing the blood running down from his ears and nose.

"I will, but first i need to ask you a favor" Eric said.

"Well get on with it" Carla shrugged.

"I need you to ask Sophie-Ann's human, she was there when we went to visit her together, she is Sookie's cousin, her name is Hadley" Carla nodded her understanding of Eric's words.

"I need you to tell her to get a message to Sookie, these exact words, Russel is coming for her, don't trust Bill" Eric continued.

"Any reason why?" Carla asked.

"Just those words" Eric told her.

Carla shrugged. "Fine" Carla noticed the shackles on the bed, they were new.

"What are those?" Carla asked.

"Russel-"

"Insisted?" Carla interrupted him, he nodded.

"Fine, i'll be right back" Carla turned away, heading out into the corridor, as she came out of the door, closing it behind her, the one opposite opened, and the woman in question walked out.

She stepped out and closed the door before she noticed Carla opposite her.

"Hadley?" Carla asked, and the human froze, shaking with fear.

"Don't worry" Carla whispered. "Eric has told me to tell you you need to get a message to Sookie" Hadley shook her head.

"I haven't seen Sookie in-"

"Shh" Carla shushed her. "That doesn't matter now, you need to tell her this, and this exactly. Russel is coming for you, don't trust Bill" Carla told her, and she looked very frightened, just by Carla, she wondered how terrified she must be around vampires.

Hadley nodded and walked off down the corridor, supposedly to go and see Sookie.

Carla went back into her room, not looking forward to the long night in which she would be tied to the bed next to Eric.

* * *

Carla slept most of the night, thankfully, with Eric next to her she felt much more safe.

However her sound sleep was awoken by Eric rushing into the room, covering in blood, completely naked.

"We need to leave" He informed her.

"Why? What's wrong? What's happened?" Carla asked, as Eric ran around the room pulling on trousers and a shirt.

"I killed Talbot" Eric said simply.

"What?!" Carla asked.

"We need to get Pam" Eric walked over to Carla picking her up from the bed and rushing out of the mansion at vampire speed and taking off into the sky.

* * *

They arrived at Fangtasia within the hour, and Eric ran into his office, where Pam was standing at the desk taking off her jacket.

He dropped Carla onto her legs. Only then did she notice he was carrying a golden band, engraved as a crown in his hand.

"We need sanctuary!" Eric told Pam, pacing up and down the room like a caged, nervous animal.

"Oh my god, what have you done?" Pam asked, glancing between the two, looking for an answer.

"He killed the lover of Russel Edgington, a vampire" Carla said, taking Pam's jacket to cover herself.

"Are you insane?!" Pam asked, now looking nervous too.

"WHERE CAN WE GO?!" Eric yelled, getting back to the point.

Pam gasped, "A human home would be safest, we've both been invited into Sookie's-"

"No!" Eric corrected her, "That's out of the question" Carla was relieve that they were not going to endanger Sookie anymore.

"You never panic. Should i be panicking?" Pam asked, her eyes wide and her lungs wanting unnecessary air.

Ginger closed the door from the bar and walked into the office, locking up for the night.

The three of them turned to her.

"Ginger dear, where do you like?" Eric asked.

"Cross the river in Bojer, why?" Ginger questioned.

"We need your house, now-ish" Pam said.

"This cos of the V feds?" Ginger asked.

Carla blinked. "V feds?" she asked.

"They're out in the bar, that's why I've come to get Eric" Ginger explained.

Pam and Eric were looking at each other, dire looks on their faces.

Eric had some spare clothes in the bottom draw of his desk, and Pam kept some of hers in the room too, and allowed Carla to put them on so she wasn't so exposed, though Pam's clothes were still rather revealing.

They were a pair of black leather trousers with a black cotton tank top and see through blouse. Without any shoes.

Once Carla had made sure Eric had no more of Talbot's blood on his face they headed out into the main bar, and found at least twenty sutied and booted vampire soldiers with guns, and Nan Flanagan sitting at one of the tables.

She was in full leather, she stood up and walked towards the four of them, removing her black shades.

"I'm sorry Ms Flanagan the bar is closed" Eric informed her.

"Thank you, i already ate, true blood only of course" She glanced at Carla. "Just can't stay out of trouble can you? The VRA is two states away from ratification, i should kissing asses in Oregon, not cleaning up after you in fucking Louisiana!"

"Oh i promise, there is nothing amiss in my area" Eric said calmly, a complete contrast from Nan's attitude.

"Shut the fuck up! You're making my head hurt, officers, silver him" Carla stepped forward to protect Eric, but he turned around and shook his head at her, telling her no, and she stopped in mid step.

Eric cried out at the burning of the silver on his shoulder.

* * *

**Thanks for reading! Please review, follow and favorite if you enjoyed this chapter, whether you do or not, thank you for reading!**

**Here's your double update this week, i am having lots of trouble keeping up with work, so i may miss a few weeks, but i will try my hardest to keep updating at least once on a Tuesday if i can.**

**Until next time,**

**-Shad out! x**


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